Hydrogen cyanide poisoning: treatment with cobalt EDTA

Three case reports are presented of employees who suffered varying degrees of exposure to hydrogen cyanide and their subsequent clinical courses following treatment with cobalt EDTA. A review of treatment modalities for CN- toxicity is given. It is concluded that, because of the degree of patient symptomatology associated from the use of cobalt EDTA, this therapy be reserved only for patients with the most severe degress of exposure to CN(-), and that in all other cases combined sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulphate therapy should be employed.