Sulfuric acid poisoning refers to ingestion of sulfuric acid, found in lead-acid batteries and some metal cleaners, pool cleaners,

drain cleaner A drain cleaner is method for unblocking sewer pipes or clogged wastewater drains. The term may also refer to a mechanical device such as a plumber's snake, drain auger, toilet plunger, or similar device. Occasionally, the term is applied to a pl ...

s and anti-rust products.

Signs and symptoms

* Brown to black streak from angle of mouth * Brown to black vomitus * Brown to black stomach wall * Black swollen tongue * White (chalky white) teeth * Blotting paper appearance of stomach mucosa * Ulceration of esophagus (fibrosis and stricture) * Perforation of stomach. * The stomach resembles a black spongy mass on post mortem

Treatment

For superficial injuries, washing (

therapeutic irrigation In medicine, therapeutic irrigation or lavage ( or ) is cleaning or rinsing. Types Specific types include: * Antiseptic lavage * Bronchoalveolar lavage * Gastric lavage * Peritoneal lavage * Arthroscopic lavage * Ductal lavage * Nasal irrigation ...

) is important. Emergency treatments include protecting the airway, which might involve a

tracheostomy Tracheotomy (, ), or tracheostomy, is a surgical airway management procedure which consists of making an incision (cut) on the anterior aspect (front) of the neck and opening a direct airway through an incision in the trachea (windpipe). The r ...

. Further treatment will vary depending on the severity, but might include investigations to determine the extent of damage (

bronchoscopy Bronchoscopy is an endoscopic technique of visualizing the inside of the airways for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. An instrument (bronchoscope) is inserted into the airways, usually through the nose or mouth, or occasionally through a trac ...

for the airways and endoscopy for the gastrointestinal tract), followed by treatments including surgery (to

debride Debridement is the medical removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue to improve the healing potential of the remaining healthy tissue. Removal may be surgical, mechanical, chemical, autolytic (self-digestion), and by maggot therapy. In po ...

and repair) and intravenous fluids.

Gastric lavage Gastric lavage, also commonly called stomach pumping or gastric irrigation, is the process of cleaning out the contents of the stomach. Since its first recorded use in early 19th century, it has become one of the most routine means of eliminating ...

is contraindicated in corrosive acid poisoning like sulfuric acid poisoning. Bicarbonate is also contraindicated as it liberates carbon dioxide which can cause gastric dilatation leading to rupture of stomach.

Society and culture

Vitriolage is the act of throwing sulfuric acid or other corrosive acids on somebody's face.

References

External links

Sulphuric acid: Toxicological overview

Sulfuric acid poisoning
on Penn Medicine

on Medline Plus {{Poisoning and toxicity Toxic effects of substances chiefly nonmedicinal as to source Chemical weapons attacks