Peritoneal Dialysis for Salt Poisoning

Abstract

SALT poisoning in infancy constitutes a medical emergency because increased levels of sodium in serum are damaging to the central nervous system and may produce severe hemorrhagic encephalopathy.1 2 3 After diagnosis several methods may be considered for alleviating the disturbance by removal of excess sodium chloride. The one most commonly employed is the intravenous administration of glucose in water, a method that depends upon renal excretion to rid the body of excess ions. However, there is evidence that renal function may be impaired in hypernatremic states,4 so that sodium excretion is slower than one might otherwise anticipate. Thus, the devastating effects . . .