[Gastrointestinal decontamination. Use in non-drug poisoning]

To assess whether Danish doctors use gastrointestinal decontamination (GID) in non-drug poisoning in accordance with recommendations for restricted application.

Doctors telephoning the Danish Poisons Information Centre about non-drug exposures were surveyed prospectively. The doctor's intention to treat, the age and sex of the patient, and information about poison, amount and time since exposure, were assessed.

Of the 138 telephone calls, 64% concerned children below 5 years of age and 24% patients above 15 years of age. The risk was estimated as insignificant in 63%, minor in 30%, significant in 6% and severe in only 1%. The insignificant risk was found mainly in children and the severe risk solely in those above 15 years of age. GID was proposed in 33% with the highest frequency in children with minor or insignificant risks, and the time since exposure did not influence the frequency of GID. Charcoal was not proposed.

It is clear from this small sample that Danish doctors tend to use GID more often than is recommended. Activated charcoal was apparently not used. GID was in most cases used in children with insignificant and minor risks, where it is likely to do more harm than good.