EMERGENCY TREATMENT OF BARBITURATE INTOXICATION WITH HEMODIALYSIS

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Abstract
A 63-year old woman was admitted to the hospital at 5:00 P.M. in deep coma, without visible respirations, without reflexes, and with a blood pressure of 60/0 mm of Hg after having ingested an unknown amount of meperidine hydrochloride and Tuinal. Soon after admission heart sounds became inaudible and blood pressure unobtainable. The blood barbiturate level at this time was 5.25 mg %. Respiration was re-established by an intermittent positive pressure apparatus and vascular collapse was treated by intravenous phenylephrine hydrochloride. The patient was subjected to hemodialysis for 330 minutes with resulting removal of 1.050 g of barbiturate and a fall in blood concentration of barbiturate to 2.0 mg %. During hemodialysis, heart sounds, blood pressure, respiration, and reflexes became normal and the patient began to move about in bed. The following morning the patient appeared normal. Hemodialysis in this case seemed to be a life saving measure.