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Accidental Metallic Mercury Ingestion

  • Kimberly Salaycik Kolkhorst and Prasad M. Kulkarni
Published/Copyright: June 1, 2012
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Journal of Osteopathic Medicine
From the journal Journal of Osteopathic Medicine Volume 112 Issue 6

A 61-year-old man with a history of nephrolithiasis presented to the emergency department with left flank pain and pyelonephritis. Results of abdominal imaging revealed multiple radiodense opacities scattered throughout the patient's colon (panel A). The patient denied macroscopic evidence of foreign bodies in his stool. No clinical or laboratory findings consistent with systemic toxicity from heavy metal ingestion were evident. The patient later recalled using liquid mercury to make batteries. The metal spilled in his toolbox, and, 8 days before presentation, he placed screws from the toolbox intermittently into his mouth. An abdominal radiograph obtained 9 days after presentation revealed colonic transit of the metallic densities (panel B). In patients with healthy gastrointestinal anatomy and transit, metallic mercury ingestion poses minimal risk of tissue injury or systemic absorption. No specific treatment is warranted, and radiologic evidence of metallic mercury is typically no longer present after 1 week.

From the University of South Florida (Drs Kolkhorst and Kulkarni) and James A. Haley VA Hospital (Dr Kulkarni) in Tampa, Florida
Address correspondence to Kimberly S. Kolkhorst, DO, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612-4742. E-mail:

  1. Financial Disclosures: None reported.

  2. Authors interested in contributing to “Clinical Images” should refer to the JAOA's “Information for Contributors” at http://www.jaoa.org/misc/ifora.shtml. Submissions should be sent to

Reference

McKinney P . Elemental mercury in the appendix: an unusual complication of a Mexican-American folk remedy. Clin Toxicol. 1999;37(1):103-107.10.1081/CLT-100102415Search in Google Scholar
Received: 2011-11-13
Revised: 2011-12-02
Accepted: 2011-12-14
Published Online: 2012-06-01
Published in Print: 2012-06-01

© 2012 The American Osteopathic Association

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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https://doi.org/10.7556/jaoa.2012.112.6.381
Creative Commons
BY-NC-ND 4.0

Articles in the same Issue

  1. AOA Communication
  2. Official Call
  3. Proposed Amendments to the AOA Constitution and Code of Ethics and New “Rules and Guidelines”
  4. Letters
  5. Environmental Reform Needed to Decrease Costs of Health Care
  6. Editorials
  7. Patient-Centered, Evidence-Based Decision Making
  8. Rigor in Medical Writing: Quoting Accurately
  9. Evidence-Based Clinical Review
  10. Patient-Centered Management of Atrial Fibrillation: Applying Evidence-Based Care to the Individual Patient
  11. Review
  12. Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment in Pregnant Women
  13. Medical Education
  14. Empathy in Osteopathic Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
  15. Original Contribution
  16. Survey of Billing and Coding for Counterstrain Tender Points
  17. Special Communication
  18. Quoting A.T. Still With Rigor: An Historical and Academic Review
  19. Case Report
  20. Coexistence of Cushing Syndrome From Functional Adrenal Adenoma and Addison Disease From Immune-Mediated Adrenalitis
  21. Clinical Images
  22. Accidental Metallic Mercury Ingestion
  23. In Your Words
  24. Surfing Through the Night Shift in Brooklyn, New York
  25. Letters
  26. Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  27. Response
  28. Correction
  29. Correction
  30. CME Quiz
  31. CME Quiz
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