Case challenge · Emergency / Toxicology / Pediatrics · teaching

Iron Poisoning — Management Pathway · case challenge

Given a case, work through the care pathway step by step; the tool checks each choice and scores you. Decisions and basis are taken from this site's reviewed care pathways.

← View the full flowchartBased on StatPearls / LITFL

Case #1Emergency / Toxicology / Pediatrics

📋 Case data

SeverityMild–moderate (no systemic toxicity)

Data is taken from this pathway's reviewed node text. Work through the pathway step by step.

Step 1 / 1 · Severity

Severity (serum iron / symptoms / ingested dose)?

💡 Five stages: 1) GI (0–6 h, corrosive hematemesis/melena/fluid loss) 2) latent (6–24 h, symptoms ease but early acidosis) 3) acidosis/shock (6–72 h, high-anion-gap metabolic acidosis, coagulopathy, multi-organ) 4) hepatotoxicity (12–96 h, raised transaminases → liver failure) 5) late (2–8 weeks, pyloric/intestinal strictures). Common in childhood accidental ingestion. Diagnosis: serum iron at 4–6 h, abdominal X-ray (radio-opaque tablets), high-anion-gap acidosis, monitor LFTs for 5 days.

For teaching. Decisions and their basis are taken from this site's reviewed care pathways; for licensed clinicians/trainees, this does not replace clinical judgment or local protocols.