Chronic Renal Disease Patients with Severe Star Fruit Poisoning: Hemoperfusion May Be an Effective Alternative Therapy

Abstract

We report a case of star fruit intoxication in a 60-yr-old male patient with a past medical history of diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure. Clinical effects included hiccups, hearing impairment, urine retention, and disturbed consciousness. Star fruit intoxication was also the suspected cause of hypothermia, an unusual symptom. The patient remained comatose after receiving two sessions of hemodialysis. However, after a 6 h session of charcoal hemoperfusion following the second hemodialysis treatment, his consciousness returned to normal within 1 day. While no previous study on hemoperfusion therapy in star fruit intoxication has been reported, in view of the fatal outcome of star fruit intoxication in uremic patients, hemoperfusion may be an alternative therapy if intensified hemodialysis fails.

• Star fruit (Averrhoa carambola)
• Chronic renal failure
• Intoxication
• Disturbed consciousness
• Hemodialysis
• Hemoperfusion