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Bowel perforation after single-dose activated charcoal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Jason P. Green  and
William McCauley
Jason P. Green
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta. At the time of writing, Dr. Green was at Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont
William McCauley*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre, and Division of Emergency Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont
*
Department of Emergency Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre, 375 South St., London ON N6A 4G5

Abstract

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Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) after medication overdose are often given activated charcoal initially for gastrointestinal decontamination. Complications of charcoal are rare, but do occur. The following case describes a patient with pre-existing undiagnosed diverticular disease who developed sigmoid perforation after a single dose of activated charcoal, given without cathartic for a drug overdose. A literature search revealed no other cases of bowel perforation associated with single-dose activated charcoal. This case report discusses adverse effects associated with activated charcoal and the role of cathartics in gastrointestinal decontamination.

Keywords

gastrointestinal decontaminationcharcoalsigmoid perforation
Type
Case Report • Observations de cas
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 8 , Issue 5 , September 2006 , pp. 358 - 360
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2006

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