Intravenous injection of metallic mercury: case report and course of mercury during chelation therapy with DMPS.
BACKGROUND
Although several cases of i.v. injection of metallic mercury have been reported, it still remains an uncommon event.


METHODS
A 34-year-old male came to hospital because complaining of pleuritic chest pain. X-ray showed radio dense punctate lesions in both lung fields, as well as around both elbows. Mercury concentration in blood (140 microg/L) and urine (320 microg/L) from the patient were significantly elevated, compared with the reference concentrations of < or = 2.0 mug/L mercury in blood and urine. The course of renal elimination of mercury and the mercury concentration in whole blood during 5 months of chelation therapy with sodium 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonate (Dimaval) were monitored. Furthermore, the time-course of mercury in scalp hair from the patient was determined.


CONCLUSIONS
We report a case of probable consecutive i.v. administration of metallic mercury.
Vallant
Birgit
B
Karl-Franzens University Graz, Institute of Chemistry-Analytical Chemistry, Graz, Austria.
Deutsch
Josef
J
Muntean
Michael
M
Goessler
Walter
W
D000328:Adult; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D004550:Elbow; D006197:Hair / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity; D008630:Mercury Poisoning; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014494:Unithiol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014965:X-Rays
D000931:Antidotes; D002614:Chelating Agents; D014494:Unithiol; D008628:Mercury