title: Acute barium intoxication following ingestion of soap water solution.
abstract: We present a rare case in which a young girl ingested a solution of a hair-removing soap. The ingestion resulted in profound hypokalemia and severe acidosis leading to flaccid paralysis, respiratory arrest and ventricular arrhythmias. Ultimately the patient made complete recovery. The soapwas found to contain barium sulfide. The degree of paralysis and acidosis appeared to be directly related to serum potassium levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, UCMS and GTBH, Shahdara, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Nandita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Chhavi Sarabpreert
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.lastname: Sai
authors.forename: Jai Prakash
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sharma
keywords: Barium; hypokalemia; poisoning
references.citation: Postgrad Med J. 1999 Apr;75(882):193-7
references.pmid: 10715756
references.citation: Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1984 Oct 6;289(6449):882
references.pmid: 6434127
references.citation: Postgrad Med J. 1998 Sep;74(875):545-6
references.pmid: 10211330
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 1992 Jan;152(1):40-5
references.pmid: 1728927
references.citation: Ann Emerg Med. 1991 Oct;20(10):1138-42
references.pmid: 1928890
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 1973 Dec;132(6):891-4
references.pmid: 4757262