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Clinical Atlas Prestige · Evidence-first

Psych VivasAddiction psychiatry — inhalant-related disorders

Psych Vivas · Addiction psychiatry — inhalant-related disorders

Inhalant-related disorders — structured clinical viva

Fellowship viva on petrol sniffing/chroming, sudden sniffing death, adolescent dual diagnosis, psychosocial care without licensed anti-craving standard, and nitrous oxide myeloneuropathy.

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Target exams

FRANZCPMRCPsychABPNMD-DNB

Target exams

FRANZCPMRCPsychABPNMD-DNB
Prompt
You are the psychiatry registrar. A 17-year-old Aboriginal youth from a remote community is transferred after recurrent petrol sniffing and a brief collapse while being chased. ECG in ED was sinus tachycardia; he is now irritable, craving, and minimising risk. Family want him 'locked up forever.' Separately, a 21-year-old city student on the ward for depression admits daily nitrous oxide balloons and new foot numbness. Discuss acute medical risk (including sudden sniffing death), dual-diagnosis and culturally safe care, the evidence position on pharmacotherapy for volatile misuse, N2O myeloneuropathy work-up and B12 treatment principles, and disposition.

Interpretation

Reveal interpretation

This is a dual-presentation addiction-toxicology viva: remote petrol sniffing with collapse under exertion (sudden sniffing death pathway teaching) plus urban N2O neurological complication. Family demand for permanent detention is a least-restrictive-care and culturally safe engagement test — not automatic indefinite lock-up, but also not minimisation of lethal risk.[2][3][7]

SSD teaching: hydrocarbons sensitize myocardium; catecholamine surge with chase/exertion can trigger fatal arrhythmia — ECG/monitoring, medical clearance, honest risk counselling including first-use death possibility.[2][3]

Pharmacotherapy vacuum: Cochrane — no eligible RCTs for licensed anti-craving/substitution for inhalant dependence; MacLean — psychosocial multi-component care; Nguyen — youth systems (family, school, community, dual diagnosis). In remote contexts, pair clinical care with community-controlled services and supply-reduction strategies (e.g. low-aromatic fuel programmes where used), avoiding deficit-only framing.[5][6][7]

N2O arm: stop use; functional B12 pathway (MMA/homocysteine); early parenteral B12; neurology/rehab; do not dismiss numbness as "anxiety from depression admission."[4]

Comorbidity: adolescent IUD samples are multi-problem — screen trauma, mood, other SUD, suicide.[8]

Legal status: capacity and risk; jurisdiction-appropriate least-restrictive options if acute danger — do not invent section numbers. [1][7]

Key points

SSD is arrhythmia

Hydrocarbon-associated sudden death is classically arrhythmic, often with exertion or startle — medical monitoring is not optional theatre.

No inhalant OAT

There is no licensed anti-craving/substitution standard; psychosocial and public-health measures are core.

N2O needs B12 pathway

Stop nitrous oxide; assess functional B12 deficiency; parenteral B12 early for myeloneuropathy.
[2] [4] [5] [6]

References

  1. [1]Howard MO, Bowen SE, Garland EL, et al. Inhalant use and inhalant use disorders in the United States Addict Sci Clin Pract, 2011.PMID 22003419
  2. [2]Bass M Sudden sniffing death JAMA, 1970.PMID 5467774
  3. [3]Berling I, Buckley NA, Isoardi KZ Rare but relevant: Hydrocarbons and sudden sniffing syndrome Addiction, 2025.PMID 40275758
  4. [4]Swart G, Blair C, Lu Z, et al. Nitrous oxide-induced myeloneuropathy Eur J Neurol, 2021.PMID 34427020
  5. [5]Konghom S, Verachai V, Srisurapanont M, et al. Treatment for inhalant dependence and abuse Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2010.PMID 21154379
  6. [6]MacLean S, Cameron J, Harney A, Lee NK Psychosocial therapeutic interventions for volatile substance use: a systematic review Addiction, 2012.PMID 22248138
  7. [7]Nguyen J, O'Brien C, Schapp S Adolescent inhalant use prevention, assessment, and treatment: A literature synthesis Int J Drug Policy, 2016.PMID 26969125
  8. [8]Sakai JT, Hall SK, Mikulich-Gilbertson SK, Crowley TJ Inhalant use, abuse, and dependence among adolescent patients: commonly comorbid problems J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 2004.PMID 15322411