Abstract
Direct hemoperfusion was performed in the six patients with paraquat poisoning and the five with hepatic coma utilizing heparin-adsorbed uncoated carbon (Terumo-DHP). Adsorption of paraquat was demonstrated in in vitro experiments and in all the cases with survival of two patients. Both clinical and laboratory impovement of hepatic coma was also observed by use of the grade of coma, the finding of electroencephalogram, and amino acids analysis in all the patients, of whom, two survived.
With excellent adsorbing capacity and less priming volume, heparin-adsorbed uncoated carbon is considered as better comparing with the other coated carbon material.
Although every case can not be successfully treated becuse of the nature of the problem, it appears to further improve the survival rate of the patients suffering from paraquat intoxication and hepatic coma by early discovery and prompt application of direct hemoperf usion along with the other appropriate medical therapy.
