TOXICOLOGY Gastrointestinal Dialysis with Activated Charcoal and Cathartic in the Treatment of Adolescent Intoxications

and accepted August 1985. This article reports five patients who had taken a substantial medication overdose and presented in coma. Two had taken a salicylate overdose and three a phenobarbital overdose (one of these ingested a combination of phenobarbital and phenytoin). The cases were treated by our standard protocol of supportive therapy and alkaline diuresis plus repetitive oral doses of activated charcoal (gastrointestinal dialysis). All patients were alert and oriented within 24 hours. Toxicokinetic analysis of the blood levels is discussed. Gastrointestinal dialysis represents a relatively noninvasive method that may benefit certain intoxicated patients even after systemic absorption has occurred. The technique and recommendations for its use are discussed and described in detail. ACTIVATES CHARCOAL has been advocated as therapy in poisonings and overdose of ingested sub-stances known to be significantly absorbed by the char-coal. Repetitive oral doses of activated charcoal with a cathartic, such as magnesium sulfate or sorbitol, have been used in the treatment of poisoned patients an