title: [Ingested lead cartridges cause trouble].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lead poisoning is rare. Intake of lead shots may cause damage of the bone marrow, the nervous system, the liver, the kidneys and the endocrine organs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present two patients who had taken approximately 120 grams of lead shots. They developed asthenia, nausea and abdominal pain. We tried to remove the lead shots with fluids, laxatives and colonoscopy, but ultimately surgical intervention had to be performed. The patients were also treated with dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although DMSA treatment is associated with a significant decrease in blood lead concentration and an increase of lead urinary excretion, surgical intervention is the most efficient way of treating oral intake of lead. Treatment with DMSA will probably have to go on for months in order to give an additional effect.
authors.affiliation: Medisinsk avdeling, Hålogalandsykehuset Harstad, 9480 Harstad. livbygdn@online.no
authors.forename: Liv
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bygdnes
authors.forename: Odd
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kildahl-Andersen
authors.forename: Janna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Jartrud
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skjerdal
authors.forename: Dag
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000931:Antidotes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004113:Succimer / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D004113:Succimer