COBALT TOXICITY

Course overview

COBALT IS AN IMPORTANT COFACTOR IN THE BODY, FOUND IN NUTRIENTS SUCH AS VITAMIN B12. IN EXCESS QUANTITIES AND IN ITS INORGANIC FORM, COBALT CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT TOXICITY. ACUTE TOXICITY IS OFTEN RARE, OFTEN RESULTING FROM EXCESS NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTATION. CHRONIC TOXICITY CAN OCCUR DUE TO OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES AND FROM THE FAILURE OF METAL-ON-METAL HIP PROSTHESES. DIAGNOSIS OF COBALT TOXICITY IS IMPORTANT TO LIMIT MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. THIS ACTIVITY WILL DISCUSS THE HISTORY OF COBALT POISONING, IDENTIFY SOURCES OF COBALT EXPOSURE, DISCUSS THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND REVIEW THE MANAGEMENT OF COBALT TOXICITY. IT ULTIMATELY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.