Elevated Blood Lead Levels Resulting from the Ingestion of Air Rifle Pellets

There have been numerous reports of lead poisoning resulting from the ingestion of foreign bodies. A case involving the ingestion of spent air rifle pellets is described. No clinical symptoms were observed, despite the fact that the young child exhibited elevated blood lead levels as high as 2.7 micromol/L (56 microg/dL). X-rays of the child's abdomen confirmed the ingestion of the pellets. The patient was treated with laxatives, and the pellets were successfully passed over the course of the next few days. Prior to release from the hospital, the child's blood lead level had dropped to 1.7 umol/L (35 microg/dL).