Vaginally applied diquat intoxication

We report the case of a woman who introduced 20 mL of diquat concentrate intravaginally. Abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, burning chest pains, and somnolence appeared within the first 24 hours. The vulva and vagina were corrosively inflamed. Acute renal failure appeared on the third day and was treated by 6 hemodialyses over 6 days. The patient was dysarthric with spastic tetraparesis for 3 months. The electroencephalogram, diffusely slow on day 3, was normal on day 28. The electromyoneurogram was normal at all times. Biopsy of a peripheral nerve performed on day 57 following intoxication showed no myelin or axonal alterations.