Chelation therapy mercury exposure

Chelating agents for mercury, such as cysteine and penicillamine, have been used as intervention measures to reduce the concentration of inorganic mercury. However, chelation therapy has yielded variable success in cases of alkyl mercury poisoning. Studies of MMM suggest that chelators may reduce brain and blood mercury levels if started within a few days after exposure. Surgical gallbladder drains and oral administration of a nonabsorbable thiol resin have been applied in order to interrupt biliary excretion and reabsorption of mercury by the intestine. 

A 3-year-old girl presented with hypertension and acrodynia without a known history cf exposure. Acrodynia was identified as a primary symptom, a 24-h urine mercury level can confirm the diagnosis. Chelation therapy successfully treated the patient s mercury intoxication. But it was also necessary to concurrently treat her hypertension and the pain associated with her acrodynia. There were no known risk factors for mercury poisoning in this case, may be ritual use of mercury is common in much cfthe United States 1194, 195 ]. 

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