Occupational mercury vapour poisoning with a respiratory failure, pneumomediastinum and severe quadriparesis.
OBJECTIVE
Despite restrictions, mercury continues to pose a health concern. Mercury has the ability to deposit in most parts of the body and can cause a wide range of unspecific symptoms leading to diagnostic mistakes.


RESULTS
We report the case of severe mercury vapour poisoning after occupational exposure in a chloralkali plant worker that resulted in life-threatening respiratory failure, pneumomediastinum and quadriparesis.


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged mechanical ventilation and treatment with penicillamine and spironolactone was used with successful outcome.
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
Jakub
J
Smiechowicz
Department and Clinic of Internal and Occupational Diseases and Hypertension, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
Anna
A
Skoczynska
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
Agata
A
Nieckula-Szwarc
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
Katarzyna
K
Kulpa
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
Andrzej
A
Kübler
Mercury poisoning; hyperhidrosis; mediastinal emphysema; occupational exposure; polyneuropathies; respiratory insufficiency