Thallium ingestion with survival: ineffectiveness of peritoneal dialysis and potassium chloride diuresis

A 52-year-old man who ingested 20 g of thallium iodide and survived is reported. Therapy included gastrointestinal decontamination, peritoneal dialysis, and potassium chloride diuresis. Peritoneal dialysis removed 4% of the calculated ingested dose in a 24-h period and potassium chloride diuresis 2%, an insignificant amount in light of the ingested dose of thallium. The primary method of treatment of thallium poisoning remains prompt gastrointestinal decontamination.