title: Respiratory failure and death following acute inhalation of mercury vapor. A clinical and histologic perspective.
abstract: A family of four was exposed to toxic levels of mercury vapor while attempting to extract silver from mercury amalgam. All four suffered respiratory failure and subsequent death despite chelation therapy with dimercaprol. Histologic findings at autopsy were similar in all four cases demonstrating a progression of acute lung injury that appeared related to postexposure day survival. There were no clinical signs of extrapulmonary manifestations despite toxic serum mercury levels. Although serum mercury levels decreased in response to the mercury chelating agent dimercaprol, serum levels remained in the toxic range and no clinical response was observed. Acute inhalational exposure to high concentrations of mercury vapor causes pneumonitis that can lead to respiratory failure and death. This continues to be a health hazard in both the workplace and the home environment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rowens
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guerrero-Betancourt
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Boyes
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Eichenhorn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004112:Dimercaprol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D004112:Dimercaprol