DIALYSIS TREATMENT OF ACUTE CHROMIUM INTOXICATION AND COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF PERITONEAL VERSUS HEMODIALYSIS IN CHROMIUM REMOVAL

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 7  (1) , 28-35
Abstract
External burns with chromic acid have been fatal even in cases with corrosions covering < 10% of the body surface area. A 19 yr old man with 3rd degree burns and Cr intoxication following accidental contact of both legs with chromium acid solution was observed. The initial course was characterized by serum Cr levels known to be usually lethal (220 .mu.g/100 ml), complete anuria, hepatic damage and progressive anemia. Aggressive peritoneal dialysis (252 h) between the days 4-22 after exposure caused a progressive decrease in serum Cr levels and resulted in a complete recovery after 35 days. The comparative efficacy of peritoneal vs. hemodialysis in Cr removal was evaluated in 5 patients with acute renal failure treated with peritoneal dialysis and in 6 patients with end-stage renal failure who underwent hemodialysis. Following i.v. injection of 500 .mu.Ci51CrCl3, Cr clearance averaged 0.8 .+-. 0.3 and 2.5 .+-. 0.8 ml/min during peritoneal dialysis (50) or hemodialysis (24), respectively. Hemodialysis was .apprx. 3 times as effective as peritoneal dialysis in Cr removal per unit of time. The possibility of applying uninterrupted peritoneal dialysis during the 1st few days suggested that this method was at least equivalent to hemodialysis for treatment in the initial stage of Cr intoxication.