Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Postoperative Ileus Murine Model
Published on: July 12, 2024
Bowel perforation after single-dose activated charcoal
Jason P Green1, William McCauley
1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Abstract:
Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) after medication overdose are often given activated charcoal initially for gastrointestinal decontamination. Complications of charcoal are rare, but do occur. The following case describes a patient with pre-existing undiagnosed diverticular disease who developed sigmoid perforation after a single dose of activated charcoal, given without cathartic for a drug overdose. A literature search revealed no other cases of bowel perforation associated with single-dose activated charcoal. This case report discusses adverse effects associated with activated charcoal and the role of cathartics in gastrointestinal decontamination.
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