Acute poisoning by a barium chloride burn.

A 62-year-old man sustained a barium chloride burn after his jackhammer penetrated a pocket of molten barium chloride. He subsequently developed signs of systemic barium poisoning including bigeminy and hypokalemia. Treatment consisted of early thorough debridement and intravenous potassium supplementation. Serum barium levels were determined. In a review of the literature these appeared to be the first toxic barium levels to be reported. The literature concerning barium poisoning and its complications is reviewed and related to the clinical presentation and treatment of this chemically burned patient.