Fatal poisoning from sodium phosphate enema. Case report and experimental study.
An overdose of a common over-the-counter sodium phosphate enema solution was fatal in an infant. The marked hypernatremia, acidemia, hyperphosphatemia, and hypocalcemia observed before death were also produced in a porcine model. A study using pigs showed that the enema solution was lethal if retained in doses above 20 mL/kg, equivalent to four pediatric-sized enemas in a 2-year-old child. Even normal doses of the enema solution caused measurable changes in serum phosphorus and calcium levels.
D000138:Acidosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D000818:Animals; D003125:Colostomy; D004733:Enema / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D013552:Swine; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000139:chemically induced
D010710:Phosphates; C018279:sodium phosphate