[A case of iatrogenic mercury incorporation caused by balloon rupture of a Miller-Abbot tube in intestinal subileus].

A young man admitted with diagnosis of subileus was treated as usual by Miller-Abbot catheter with a mercury-filled balloon at the distal tip. During treatment of this patient the mercury-filled balloon ruptured, but no signs of poisoning occurred despite a blood mercury level 4 times higher than normal. In contrast to one fatal case described in the literature, the present case followed a course without signs of mercury intoxication under treatment with Dimaval (Na-2,3,-dimercapto-1-sulfanat).