Survival in an adolescent with severe paraquat poisoning: A case report

Abstract

Paraquat is a “restricted-use herbicide” known to be lethally toxic to humans. Paraquat poisoning carries a high fatality rate due to its lethality, lack of an antidote, and limited management guidelines. We report a 12-year-old boy who ingested approximately 40 mL of paraquat, leading to acute kidney injury requiring dialysis and subsequent evolving pulmonary fibrosis. He was managed with immunomodulation, antioxidants, antifibrotic therapy (nintedanib), and oxygen support. At 4-month follow-up, he remained clinically stable on long-term oxygen therapy.