Fixed-bed uncoated charcoal hemoperfusion in the treatment of intoxications: animal and patient studies.

We examined the efficacy of a new, fixed-bed, uncoated charcoal device in experimentally intoxicated dogs and in drug-intoxicated as well as chemically poisoned patients. In the animal studies, 4 h of hemoperfusion resulted in a significant decrease in the blood level of phenobarbital, salicylate, pentobarbital and glutethimide. The drug clearances varied between 97 +/- 10 and 129 +/- 6 ml/min. However, the total amount of drug removed was higher for phenobarbital and salicylate which have a small apparent volume of distribution (AVD) than for pentobarbital and glutethimide which have an AVD greater than total body water. We next treated 14 patients suffering from a wide variety of intoxications. Patients intoxicated with phenobarbital, methsuximide, chlordane and Amanita muscaria all showed a significant improvement in their clinical status. Patients intoxicated with ethchlorvynol, glutethimide, methaqualone, podophyllin and fluoroacetamide did not improve. Charcoal hemoperfusion may be useful in patients poisoned with drugs characterized by an AVD smaller than total body water. No major complications were encountered during the hemoperfusions.