Case report

Appendectomy due to lead poisoning: a case-report

S Mohammadi^1*, AH Mehrparvar² and M Aghilinejad¹

• * Corresponding author: S Mohammadi sabermohammadi@gmail.com

Author Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational Medicine and Occupational Medicine Research Center of Iran University of Medical Sciences, Shaheed Hemmat highway, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Occupational Medicine, Yazd University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

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Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology 2008, 3:23 doi:10.1186/1745-6673-3-23

Published: 17 October 2008

Abstract

Background

Lead poisoning is a common occupational health hazard in developing countries and many misdiagnoses and malpractices may occur due to unawareness of lead poisoning symptoms.

Case presentation

We report a case of occupational lead poisoning in an adult battery worker with abdominal colic who initially underwent appendectomy with removal of normal appendix. Later on he was diagnosed with lead poisoning and was treated appropriately with lead chelator (CaNa₂EDTA).

Conclusion

Lead poisoning is frequently overlooked as the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen which may result in unnecessary surgery. Appropriate occupational history taking is helpful in making a correct diagnosis. Occupational lead poisoning is a preventable disorder and a serious challenge for the health and labor authorities in developing countries.