Systemic and topical effects of intradermal hydrofluoric acid

A 35-year-old man attempted suicide by subcutaneous self-administration of hydrofluoric acid (5 cc of a domestic rust removal solution containing 7% hydrofluoric acid). A burn 9 x 7 cm in diameter immediately appeared at the injection site (left forearm and fold of the elbow). In the emergency department, the burn was copiously washed with isotonic solution and treated with cutaneous and subcutaneous injections of magnesium chloride, 10% solution of calcium gluconate, and 2% xilo-cain, then continuously maintained under topical treatment with calcium gluconate. Seven hours after injection, the patient was severely hypocalcemic (Ca++ 0.64 mmol/L), Ten hours after injection, in addition to the persistent hypocalcemia (Ca++ 0.81 mmol/L), hyponatremia (123 mmol/d), hypokalemia (3.4 mmol/L), and hypochloremia (95.6 mmol/L) had developed. The hypocalcemia was corrected with infusion of calcium gluconate (8.92 mEq of Ca++ as total amount). The patient underwent surgical intervention 7 days after admission, followed by several interventions of plastic surgery. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.