Hemoperfusion in acute camphor poisoning.

After ingestion of an unknown dose of a 10% camphor spirit (maximum dose 200 ml), a 54-year-old female was found in coma, having developed grand-mal-like seizures and respiratory failure. For detoxification, gastric lavage and hemoperfusion with amberlite XAD4 were performed. During hemoperfusion, seizures ceased, but no marked influence on the clinical course of the intoxication--especially on grade of coma--was observed. For further evaluation of the efficacy of treatment, camphor plasma elimination kinetics during hemoperfusion were compared to plasma elimination kinetics determined in a volunteer after an oral dose of 200 mg of camphor. Although the plasma compartment was almost completely (89%-95%) cleared of camphor by hemoperfusion, only a total of 35 mg of camphor was removed due to its high apparent volume of distribution (estimated 2-4 l/kg). The plasma elimination half-life was not affected by hemoperfusion, which may be explained by the saturation of metabolizing enzymes, still incomplete absorption, or metabolic interference of isopropanol. In the case presented here, neither the clinical course of the intoxication nor plasma level data gave evidence for a pronounced beneficial effect of hemoperfusion.