Whole bowel irrigation for toxic ingestions.

Eight children aged eleven months to sixteen years who ingested toxic substances were treated with whole bowel irrigation. This procedure involves the rapid infusion of fluids per nasogastric tube in order to flush the toxic substance out from the gastrointestinal tract thereby preventing its absorption into the bloodstream. The infusion is terminated when the rectal effluent takes on the characteristics of the infusate. The toxic substances included miniature disc batteries, iron, tricyclic antidepressant and paraquat. No significant changes in serum sodium, serum potassium or hematocrit were observed. Whole bowel irrigation was felt to be efficacious in this series. It requires additional study as a therapeutic approach to the patient who has ingested a toxic substance.