1 Serial measurements of plasma mercury were made in a patient with severe and prolonged acute renal failure due to poisoning with mercuric chloride.
2 An initial mercury concentration in whole blood of 1200 μg/l (6 μmol/l) was recorded, and recovery of renal function coincided with a fall in plasma mercury concentration to below 100 μg/l (0.5 μmol/l).
3 The case demonstrates that survival and recovery of renal function is possible despite very high concentrations of mercury in the blood and oliguric renal failure of nearly six weeks' duration.
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References
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Magos, L. (1976). Effects of dimercaptosuccinic acid on the excretion and distribution of mercury in rats and mice treated with mercuric chloride and methylmercury chloride. Br. J. Pharmacol., 56,479-484.
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Murphy, M.J., Culliford, E.J. & Parsons, V. (1980). A case of poisoning with mercuric chloride. Resuscitation, 7, 35-44.
