Charcoal-column haemoperfusion does not significantly enhance chlormethiazole removal

A 26-year-old man had convulsions after taking an overdose of slow-release aminophylline tablets. The convulsions were treated with an infusion of chlormethiazole and theophylline was removed by charcoal-column haemoperfusion. It has been suggested that haemoperfusion might be useful for removing chlormethiazole and this was investigated. There was no evidence that charcoal-column haemoperfusion could remove clinically significant amounts of chlormethiazole.