Survival After a Lethal Dose of Arsenic Trioxide

Abstract

A case of a 27‐year‐old woman who ingested 9000 mg arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃) is reported. Classical symptoms of an acute arsenicum (As) poisoning such as gastrointestinal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, ECG changes and disturbed liver function tests were observed. The absorption of the ingested As was minimalized by a continuous gastric irrigation with highly concentrated NaHCO₃ andintestinal cleansing with NaHCO₃ and polyethyleneglycol was performed. Forced diuresis, BAL (2,3‐dimercaptopropanol) and DMSA (meso‐2,3‐dimercaptosuccinic acid) were started and therapy to enhance the formation of methylated As derivatives, which are potentially less toxic and which can be excreted more easily, was then administered. The patient survived this massive dose of ingested inorganic As with only polyneuropathy one year later.

Keywords :

• Arsenicum
• Acute poisoning
• Chelator therapy