Arsenic Toxicity in Emergency Medicine Follow-up

  • Author: Steven Marcus, MD; Chief Editor: Asim Tarabar, MD   more...
 
Updated: Sep 21, 2010
 

Further Inpatient Care

Many patients will develop profound peripheral neuropathy requiring extensive rehabilitation. Rehabilitation should be started as promptly as the clinical picture allows.

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Further Outpatient Care

Perform a careful neurological evaluation in follow-up of all patients because the peripheral neuropathy, which may develop after an acute exposure, may not appear for 2-3 weeks.

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Complications

Sterile abscesses after the use of dimercaprol (BAL in oil) are not unusual. They initially may appear like erythematous macules, which spread or coalesce, and may continue to drain for some time.

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Patient Education

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Bioterrorism and Warfare Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Chemical Warfare.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Steven Marcus, MD  Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Executive and Medical Director, New Jersey Poison Information and Education System; Consulting Staff, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, University Hospital, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Consulting Staff, Department of Pediatrics, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center

Steven Marcus, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Academy of Medicine of New Jersey, American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Medical Toxicology, American Medical Association, and Medical Society of New Jersey

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

David C Lee, MD  Research Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Associate Professor, North Shore University Hospital and New York University Medical School

David C Lee, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Medical Toxicology, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John T VanDeVoort, PharmD  Regional Director of Pharmacy, Sacred Heart & St. Joseph's Hospitals

John T VanDeVoort, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Michael J Burns, MD  Instructor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard University Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Michael J Burns, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Medical Toxicology, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Asim Tarabar, MD  Assistant Professor, Director, Medical Toxicology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale-New Haven Hospital

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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Black water urine from a patient with massive hemolysis secondary to arsine exposure at a gas tank cleaning operation.
 
 
 
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