Abstract

Uso del carbón activado en las sospechas de intoxicación en urgencias de pediatría. Arch. Pediatr. Urug. [online]. 2003, vol.74, n.3, pp.182-186. ISSN 1688-1249.

Summary The aim of this study is to show the experience of our Pediatric Emergency Department using activated charcoal in children with acute poisoning. Patients and method: retrospective study of all the 127 children admitted in our Paediatric Emergency Department between 1999-01-1 and 2001-12-31 after an acute poisoning and who received activated charcoal as decontamination procedure. We used SPSS Windows 6.0 for statystical analysis. Results: between 1999-01-1 and 2001-12-31 we registered in our Paediatric Emergency Department, 477 episodes after a suspected acute poisoning (0,36% of the 131.533 episodes registered in our ED during that period of time). 375 children of these 477 (78,6%) arrived in the Emergency Department in the first two hours after poison exposure. 138 children (28,9%) received treatment at the Paediatric Emergency Department, principally gastrointestinal decontamination and/or antidotes. Activated charcoal (1 g/kg) was given to 127 patients (several doses in one case). Patients who received activated charcoal had taken most commonly drugs (101: acetaminophen 30, psychotropes 18, salicylates 10, antitussive-anticough agents 8 y bronchiodilatator 5) and household products (18; among these, 7 plaguicide uptake). No patient treated with activated charcoal were admitted to normal floor or ICU. All the patient were sent home after being treated at the Emergency Department (47, 37,0% after remaining a few hours at the Emergency Observation Unit - 8,784,76 hours). All 127 patients did well. Conclusions: in our experience, activated charcoal is an effective and sure decontamination procedure in paediatric acute poisonings

Keywords : CHARCOAL-therapeutic use.

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