Oral Ingestion of an Iron-Containing Hand Warmer in a Pediatric Patient.
Wilderness Environ Med
; 35(1): 70-73, 2024 03.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38379476
ABSTRACT
Hand warmer packets are common products used to provide a portable, nonflammable heat source via the exothermic oxidation of iron. We present the first reported case of pediatric hand warmer packet ingestion in a three-year-old male who developed an elevated serum iron concentration (peak 335â
ug/dL) and gastrointestinal injury after ingesting the contents of a HOTHANDS hand warmer packet. He was treated with endoscopic gastric foreign body removal and lavage, as well as proton-pump inhibitors and whole bowel irrigation. Hand warmer packs contain reduced elemental iron powder, which has been shown to have a more favorable safety profile when compared to iron salts. The mechanism of toxicity for reduced iron is unknown, though it is thought to be due to conversion to more toxic iron ions in an acidic environment. While the current adult literature suggests that ingestion of a single hand warmer packet is without significant risk, our case demonstrates that even a partial ingestion carries a significant risk of both iron toxicity and direct gastrointestinal caustic injury in a young child. This case demonstrates the need for multidisciplinary care and consideration of urgent endoscopic foreign body removal and gastric lavage followed by whole bowel irrigation to mitigate the potential of severe iron toxicity.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Temas:
Agentes_cancerigenos
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Traumatismos Torácicos
/
Corpos Estranhos
/
Traumatismos Abdominais
Limite:
Child, preschool
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Wilderness Environ Med
Assunto da revista:
SAUDE AMBIENTAL
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Canadá