Elsevier

The Journal of Emergency Medicine

Volume 6, Issue 5, September–October 1988, Pages 397-400
The Journal of Emergency Medicine

Selected topic
Fatal lead encephalopathy following foreign body ingestion: Case report

https://doi.org/10.1016/0736-4679(88)90013-3Get rights and content

Abstract

A 23-month-old female child presented to an emergency department with a mild, nonspecific gastrointestinal illness and periodic fussiness and irritability; the initial physical examination was nonfocal and nondiagnostic. Rapid decompensation quickly ensued.

Postmortem examination of hematologic laboratory data and reevaluation of radiographs showed a metallic foreign body in the stomach. Diagnosis of rapidly fatal lead encephalopathy was confirmed by finding toxic serum lead and elevated delta-aminolevulinic (ALA) levels in postmortem blood.

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