[Acute kidney failure caused by poisoning]

We present our experience in the treatment of acute renal failure (ARF) as a result of poisoning. The most frequent cause was acetic acid. Oligoanuric ARF was registered in 30 patients. In 34 patients peritoneal dialysis was applied for high values of serum urea and creatinine. The most frequent complications (oesophagitis, bleeding, mediastinitis, pneumonia, acute abdomen) were also the cause of death. After the treatment 31 patients were recovered with the mean creatinine clearance of 65.0 ae 27.7 ml/min. Ten patients died during the first 4 days of hospitalisation because of corrode effect of acid. This mortality of 24.4% is above the mean mortality registered for all ARF in our centre. In our opinion the treatment of ARF due to poisoning requires the team work of many specialists. Peritoneal dialysis is more advisable than haemodialysis because of bleeding tendency and intraabdominal monitoring.