Treating lead poisoning successfully can require the coordination of many methods, including chelation therapy. Chelation is a dangerous procedure used to purge toxic heavy metals from the body. Its use is generally reserved for critical conditions, and chelation therapy is best administered by a licensed physician in a clinical setting.
Chelation therapy is available intravenously and in many forms for oral administration. Health-care professionals use the treatment with great caution, due to potentially deadly interactions between chelation therapy and lead poisoning. Chelation's benefits are still argued within the medical community, but the serious hazards associated with the procedure are universally recognized.
How it Works
Chelating agents enter the body by mouth or intravenously. The agents, or chelators, hunt metals (not just lead) that they can bind to. When a bond is formed between lead (or another metal) and a chelator, the new structure can be excreted in urine. Chelation therapy detoxifies the body by building lead into shapes the body can process and eliminate.
Efficacy
The success of chelation therapy in lead poisoning is measured only in the reduction of lead present in blood samples. The treatment is arguably effective in reducing toxic metals in the body, but has no other therapeutic value. Chelation can help minimize the damage associated with lead poisoning by detoxifying the body, but it cannot reverse damage that has already occurred. The Mayo Clinic warns that brain damage resulting from lead poisoning is irreversible. Organ damage, likewise, will not be improved through chelation therapy. ClinicalTrials.gov cites lack of chelation's proven efficacy as a barrier to more popular use.
Mild Lead Poisoning
Treating less severe cases of lead poisoning with chelation therapy is not always necessary. Doctors generally start treatment with less invasive methods, like removal of lead from the environment and diet modification. Chelation may be recommended if monitoring reveals that blood lead levels are still elevated after other methods have been used.
Severe Lead Poisoning
Chelation therapy is often the first line of attack in emergency lead-poisoning treatment. Blood tests or observation can reveal if the level of toxic lead present in the body is critical. Use of the treatment is generally avoided due to specific dangers associated with lead poisoning and chelation; however, it is an essential tool in responding to extreme cases. Some authorities recommend that emergency care providers begin intravenous chelation immediately when lead poisoning is suspected.
Dangers
Chelation therapy can make a toxic situation worse. Measures must be taken to ensure that the source of the lead has been eliminated, or the patient risks more severe poisoning by returning to the environment. WebMD.com warns that chelation therapy, in addition to purging toxic metals from the body, can also make the body more receptive to further exposure. Absorption of metals is increased by the process, making it essential that the patient is not returned to the contaminated location until the possibility of exposure has been eliminated. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that even oral chelation, which is milder than intravenous administration, be conducted only under lead-free conditions.
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