Acute renal failure after peritoneal lavage with mercuric chloride.

A 64-year-old man developed acute renal failure after hemicolectomy during which the peritoneal cavity was irrigated with a 0.2% solution of mercuric chloride. Renal failure was preceded by abdominal pain and hypotension, and followed by adynamic ileus, wound disruption, and a severe peritoneal reaction. The mechanism of this injury, together with the development of renal failure and its management, are discussed.