Multi-organ toxicity and death following acute unintentional inhalation of paint thinner fumes.

Background: Paint thinners containing a mixture of volatile organic solvents have considerable potential for solvent abuse. Deaths from solvent inhalation have been reported but most of them relate to intentional solvent abuse and occur soon after exposure. Accidental death due to unintentional inhalation of solvent vapors can also occur suddenly but more often, death results from late complications secondary to multi-organ toxicity.