title: [Rare medicinal mercury poisoning].
abstract: After an accidental injury of the bowel during a hysterectomy, the patients peritoneal cavity was irrigated for disinfection with a solution containing a mercury-compound. The patient died 40 days after this "peritoneal lavage" with a 0.2% solution of mercury-II-oxycanide. The disinfection with the toxic compound during operation can be judged as a medical mistreatment leading to death of the patient. The mercury concentration in blood (0.1 mg Hg per 100 g blood), taken during autopsy, exceeded normal values severalfold. The cause of death was diagnosed as a "multiorgan-failure", caused by an "iatrogenic mercury poisoning". The results of toxicological analysis, histological examination and the findings of autopsy are presented.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hackel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mattern
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miksch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D003486:Cyanides / Q000506:poisoning*; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017669:Mercury Compounds; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000473:pathology*; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010533:Peritoneal Lavage
chemical_list: D003486:Cyanides; D004202:Disinfectants; D017669:Mercury Compounds; C061669:mercury-II-oxycyanide
vernacular_title: Eine seltene medizinale Quecksilber-Vergiftung.