Matchstick heads are comprised of over 50% potassium chlorate (KClO3); it is an oxidizing agent which makes matches flammable and can also be found in many explosives and fireworks. Unfortunately, it also happens to be nephrotoxic. In this interesting case report by Mutlu et al, the authors describe a 21-year-old man who attempted to commit suicide by ingesting 120 matchsticks...
I'm Dr. Joshua Schwimmer, a nephrologist and internal medicine physician in New York City. • Kidney Notes was the first active nephrology blog. (Trivia: Kidney Notes is so old that the National Library of Medicine still uses it as an example of how to formally cite blogs.) • Professionally, you can find me at Kidney.nyc. • Kidney Notes is for educational purposes only, not medical advice. Consult qualified health care professionals. See disclaimer.
Friday, September 18, 2009
High Potassium and Kidney Failure Due to Matchstick Ingestion
The Renal Fellow Network Blog is essential reading, part 426...
