Intravenous injection of metallic mercury: case report and course of mercury during chelation therapy with DMPS

Introduction. Although several cases of IV injection of metallic mercury have been reported, it still remains an uncommon event. Case report. A 34-year-old male came to hospital because complaining of pleuritic chest pain. X-ray showed radio dense punctate lesions in both lung fields, as well as around both elbows. Mercury concentration in blood (140 mu g/L) and urine (320 mu g/L) from the patient were significantly elevated, compared with the reference concentrations of <= 2.0 mu g/L mercury in blood and urine. The course of renal elimination of mercury and the mercury concentration in whole blood during 5 months of chelation therapy with sodium 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonate (Dimaval (R)) were monitored. Furthermore, the time-course of mercury in scalp hair from the patient was determined. Conclusion. We report a case of probable consecutive IV administration of metallic mercury.