Severe laryngeal oedema during injection of sodium metrizoate ("Triosil"). Survival after emergency laryngostomy.

Numerous iodide-containing compounds are used in radiographic contrast media. Severe, untoward reactions to these agents are of two types, cardiorespiratory collapse and, less commonly, anaphylactic reactions (Goodman and Gilman, 1965). This paper reports a case of severe laryngeal oedema which developed as an allergic reaction to sodium metrizoate 75 per cent (Triosil) administered during cardiac catheterization. Emergency laryngostomy was performed to prevent fatal asphyxia. Mullins et al. (1963) reported death due to asphyxia from laryngeal oedema after intravenous Hypaque (sodium diatrizoate), and Youngblood, Williams, and Tuggle (1956) a similar death after intravenous sodium acetrizoate, but survival of a patient under these circumstances has not been previously reported.