Successful transplantation of donor organs from a hemlock poisoning victim.
BACKGROUND
The poison hemlock plant (Conium maculatum) has been a known poison since early in human history, most notably as the agent used for the execution/suicide of Socrates in ancient Greece. No experience has been reported regarding the suitability of a hemlock victim's organs for transplantation.


RESULTS
This report documents successful transplantation of the liver, kidney, and pancreas from a 14-year-old girl who died of anoxic encephalopathy from asphyxia after the accidental ingestion of fresh hemlock while on a nature hike. Predonation laboratory values were not remarkable, and liver and kidney biopsy results were normal. All organs in the three recipients had immediate function, and no recipient had any clinical evidence of transmitted toxin. All recipients are well, with functioning transplants at greater than 6 months after transplantation.


CONCLUSIONS
Poison hemlock intoxication does not seem to be a contraindication to organ donation.
D000293:Adolescent; D029982:Conium / Q000506:poisoning*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement