Survival after massive arsenic poisoning self-treated by high fluid intake.
A 23-year-old male pharmacist ingested 1040 mg arsenic trioxide (788 mg trivalent arsenic, 13 mg/kg). After 7 asymptomatic hours, frequent vomiting and diarrhea occurred. Fearing death from shock, he drank 5 L of water over 5 hours. When he was brought to our hospital with chief complaint of constricted vision about 20 hours after ingestion, the major abdominal symptoms had already subsided. Despite a lethal plasma arsenic on admission, all toxic symptoms including hepatic dysfunction, erythematous dermal eruption, and peripheral neuropathy improved during his hospital stay with no treatment except for dimercaptopropanol.
Kamijo
Y
Y
Kitasato University, Sagamihara Kanagawa, Japan.
Soma
K
K
Asari
Y
Y
Ohwada
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide; D001152:Arsenicals; D004112:Dimercaprol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010087:Oxides / Q000506:poisoning*; D012648:Self Care
D000931:Antidotes; D001152:Arsenicals; D010087:Oxides; D004112:Dimercaprol; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide