Severe hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia: a dilemma in patient management.

In the following report, a case of severe hyperphosphatemia and tetanic hypocalcemia resulting from the inadvertent oral ingestion of a phosphate enema is described. The physiology of serum phosphate regulation and the mechanism by which the elevation of serum phosphate is thought to induce hypocalcemia is discussed, and the treatment of hyperphosphatemia is reviewed. Finally, the potential consequences of the administration of calcium to treat tetany in a patient with severe hyperphosphatemia are considered.