ISSN: 2161-0495
Tiffany Byerly
Introduction: Mercury is a toxic trace metal that causes acute respiratory failure when vaporized and inhaled. We
report the presentation and management of a two-year-old female with hypoxemic respiratory failure secondary to
elemental mercury inhalation.
Case report: A 2-year-old female presented to our facility with acute respiratory distress. She developed hypoxemic
respiratory failure requiring venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. She was found to have high serum
mercury levels and was managed with dimercapto succinic acid chelation therapy and high-dose corticosteroids. The
patient survived and subsequently recovered.
Discussion: This is the first pediatric case of fulminant pneumonitis caused by elemental mercury inhalation
managed with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation reported in the medical literature.