We present the case of a patient who developed a severe systemic allergic reaction during initiation of hemodialysis. The reaction completely resolved by switching the dialysis filter sterilized by ethylene oxide to a steam sterilized filter. Ethylene oxide is used to sterilize heat sensitive medical devices, and although allergic reactions related to ethylene oxide have been reported before, awareness is lacking among providers in the inpatient setting, specifically in the intensive care unit setting.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.