[A case of embolism caused by metallic mercury in a drug addict].

We describe the case of pulmonary embolism from metallic mercury after an deliberate intravenous injection in a drug addict. Metallic mercury embolisation is extremely rare and it is very important to remark the role of elementary mercury in chronic poisoning. In most reported cases, including our patient, the clinical pathologic manifestations are not so important. The reported symptoms are chest pain, tachypnea, gastrointestinal-tract disorder and one case of bloody diarrhea. Intravenous injection causes a local endothelial damage. After embolization the mercury may remain within the pulmonary interstitium and the alveoli, where may develop in sterile abscesses and granulomatous foreign body reactions. The mercury may remain localized as a depot of elemental mercury or may be oxidized to the soluble mercuric ion and may be distributed to other body tissues and may produce chronic poisoning. This toxicity causes damages, particularly to the kidneys (glomerular-nephritis), but does not cause changes in renal function (follow-up 10 years).