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[Mercury pulmonary embolism after voluntary injection]
Revue Des Maladies Respiratoires
|January 1, 1993
Summary
A case report details a woman who injected mercury, leading to pulmonary emboli. While initially asymptomatic, long-term mercury exposure caused reduced lung function, highlighting risks of self-administered mercury.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Radiology
Background:
- Mercury (Hg) is a toxic heavy metal with various industrial and medical uses.
- Intravenous drug abuse presents unique health risks, including infections and toxic exposures.
- Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a serious condition often caused by blood clots, but can have unusual etiologies.
Observation:
- A case of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive female drug addict who voluntarily injected elemental mercury intravenously.
- Diagnosis of mercury-induced pulmonary emboli was supported by chest radiography and confirmed by elevated blood and urine mercury levels.
- Radiography of the injection site also aided in confirming the route of mercury administration.
Findings:
- The patient developed pulmonary emboli secondary to self-injection of mercury.
- Three years post-injection, the patient showed no overt signs of mercury toxicity but exhibited reduced carbon monoxide transfer.
- Interpretation of reduced carbon monoxide transfer was complicated by the patient's history of drug addiction and prior respiratory issues.
Implications:
- This case underscores the severe, potentially fatal consequences of injecting elemental mercury.
- Chronic pulmonary exposure to mercury can lead to subtle but significant long-term respiratory impairment.
- Physicians should consider non-thrombotic causes of pulmonary embolism in intravenous drug users with relevant exposure history.