Survival after severe acute chromic acid poisoning complicated with renal and liver failure

Abstract

Chromic acid is a strong metal acid and acute poisoning is very rare, but very serious with severe skin injury, renal and liver failure. The majority of published cases were suicide attempts with lethal outcomes. We describe the case of a 55-year-old man who had accidentally taken a sip of 20% chromic acid (estimated chromium intake: 2.3 g). Renal and liver failure were not present at presentation, but appeared later in the course of disease. He was treated with hemodialysis, no chelating agents or other methods for enhancing elimination were used. Liver and renal function improved over the next 30 days and the patient was discharged after 45 days of hospitalization with no need for dialysis. In the follow-up period of eight months his renal function remained depressed, but stable. © 2009 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.