Case report
Acute renal failure following oxalic acid poisoning: a case report
Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology 2012, 7:17 doi:10.1186/1745-6673-7-17
Published: 14 September 2012Abstract
Oxalic acid poisoning is being recognized as an emerging epidemic in the rural communities of Sri Lanka as it is a component of locally produced household laundry detergents. Herein we describe a case of a 32 year old female, presenting after direct ingestion of oxalic acid. She then went on to develop significant metabolic acidosis and acute renal failure, requiring dialysis. Renal biopsy revealed acute tubulointerstitial nephritis associated with diffuse moderate acute tubular damage with refractile crystals in some of the tubules. The patient symptomatically improved with haemodialysis and renal functions subsequently returned to normal.
