Acute poisoning with copper sulphate in a young lady

Ingestion of copper sulphate is an uncommon form of poisoning which is usually reported in Indian subcontinent. This poisoning can lead to life threatening serious complications like acute intravascular hemolysis, renal failure, rhabdomyolysis and methemoglobinemia. Due to its rarity, physicians may face difficulties with management. Here we report a case of acute ingestion of copper sulphate in a 30year-old lady who presented with intravascular hemolysis and acute renal impairment. She was managed with gastric lavage, intravenous fluid, blood transfusion, broad spectrum antibiotics, D-penicillamine and proton pump inhibitor. She recovered fully after two weeks. With effective supportive measures and chelating agents, the morbidity and mortality can be reduced in severely poisoned patients. © 2013 Sjournals. All rights reserved.