Charcoal hemoperfusion for treatment of ethchlorvynol overdose.

Charcoal hemoperfusion is commonly employed to treat overdose of a number of drugs. There are varying reports of its efficacy in the treatment of ethchlorvynol overdose. Herein is reported a case of ethchlorvynol overdose successfully treated with charcoal hemoperfusion within 5 h of ingestion of 12.5 g of the drug. The patient was deeply comatose at that time but recovered consciousness at the end of 4 h of hemoperfusion. Ethchlorvynol clearance over the charcoal varied from 118 to 147 ml/min. There were no bleeding complications. Prompt charcoal hemoperfusion may be an effective mode of treatment in cases of ethchlorvynol intoxication.