BACKGROUND: Oral ingestion of potassium dichromate produces a complex spectrum of complications. It has an extremely poor prognosis and usually leads to rapid death. METHODS: We report the case of a 16-year-old male patient who was admitted to hospital after oral ingestion of potassium dichromate with suicidal intention. RESULTS: The patient's condition deteriorated, and he became comatose within 5 days in spite of immediate attempts at detoxification. Because of irreversible liver failure, which occurred within 2 days after admission, and because of cerebral edema, the decision to perform a liver transplantation was made. On day 6 after admission, a compatible donor liver was transplanted. The course of liver transplantation and the patient's subsequent recovery were uneventful. CONCLUSION: The rationale for the delayed transplantation was to avoid damage of the new organ because of high serum chromium levels. Despite severe organ damage, the chromium content of the liver was increased. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report of acute toxic liver failure, caused by potassium dichromate poisoning, treated successfully by means of liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND: Oral ingestion of potassium dichromate produces a complex spectrum of complications. It has an extremely poor prognosis and usually leads to rapid death. METHODS: We report the case of a 16-year-old male patient who was admitted to hospital after oral ingestion of potassium dichromate with suicidal intention. RESULTS: The patient's condition deteriorated, and he became comatose within 5 days in spite of immediate attempts at detoxification. Because of irreversible liver failure, which occurred within 2 days after admission, and because of cerebral edema, the decision to perform a liver transplantation was made. On day 6 after admission, a compatible donor liver was transplanted. The course of liver transplantation and the patient's subsequent recovery were uneventful. CONCLUSION: The rationale for the delayed transplantation was to avoid damage of the new organ because of high serum chromium levels. Despite severe organ damage, the chromium content of the liver was increased. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report of acute toxic liver failure, caused by potassium dichromatepoisoning, treated successfully by means of liver transplantation.