The Journal of Emergency Medicine
Volume 32, Issue 1 , Pages 41-44, January 2007

Skin and soft tissue necrosis from calcium chloride in a deicer

  • Min P. Kim, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint Address: Min Peter Kim, md, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis Street, Suite 9A, Boston, MA 02215
    • ,
  • Vittorio J. Raho, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
    • ,
  • John Mak, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
    • ,
  • A. Murat Kaynar, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts

Received 9 March 2005; received in revised form 19 October 2005; accepted 9 May 2006.

Abstract 

Calcium chloride salt is the principle ingredient of many commercially available deicers. Calcium chloride melts snow and ice by its osmotic action. We present a case of skin and soft tissue necrosis associated with the use of a calcium chloride-containing deicer. Although calcium chloride is known to produce soft tissue necrosis if it extravasates during intravenous administration, necrosis and skin sloughing has rarely been described after topical exposure to this salt. Calcium chloride likely produces tissue injury from the heat liberated by mixing calcium chloride with water (exothermic reaction) and from direct calcium deposits in the skin (calcinosis cutis) and soft tissue.

Keywords: Calcium chloride, deicer, necrosis, calcinosis cutis, exothermic

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PII: S0736-4679(06)00633-0

doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2006.05.030

The Journal of Emergency Medicine
Volume 32, Issue 1 , Pages 41-44, January 2007

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