Objectives:
Despite restrictions, mercury continues to pose a health concern. Mercury has the ability to deposit in most parts of the body and can cause a wide range of unspecific symptoms leading to diagnostic mistakes.
Methods and results:
We report the case of severe mercury vapour poisoning after occupational exposure in a chloralkali plant worker that resulted in life-threatening respiratory failure, pneumomediastinum and quadriparesis.
Conclusions:
Prolonged mechanical ventilation and treatment with penicillamine and spironolactone was used with successful outcome.