GASTROGRAFIN SOLUTION

BAYER (SOUTH EAST ASIA) PTE LTD

BAYER (SOUTH EAST ASIA) PTE LTD

Therapeutic

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SOLUTION

**Dosage and method of administration** **General information** Because of the additives (flavorings and a wetting agent), Gastrografin must not be used intravascularly. Because of its high osmotic pressure and the tendency to absorption from the intestine, Gastrografin should not be administered to newborns, infants and young children in doses higher than those recommended. In newborns and infants low osmolar contrast media can often be used more safely than the high osmolar Gastrografin. **Dosage for oral use** The dosage is dependent on the type of examination and the age of the patient. Adults In adult patients and children of 10 years of age and over, 60 ml is sufficient for visualization of the stomach; for a follow-through examination of the gastrointestinal tract a maximum of 100 ml may be required. For elderly and cachectic patients a dilution with an equal volume of water is recommended. For the early diagnosis of a perforation or anastomosis in the oesophagus and/or gastrointestinal tract, the patient should drink 100 ml Gastrografin. If the suspected lesion cannot be clearly identified in the X-ray film, a chemical reaction can be employed for further clarification. After 30 – 60 minutes (later, if the defect is suspected of being in the distal gut), a urine specimen should be taken and 5 ml mixed with 5 drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid. The contrast medium which has undergone renal excretion will appear within 2 hours as a typical crystal formation in the precipitate. Children In children up to 10 years of age, 15 – 30 ml is generally sufficient. This dose can be diluted with twice its volume of water. For infants and young children it is recommended that the contrast medium be diluted with 3 times its volume of water. Computerized tomography (CT) The examination can be made after the administration of 1 – 1.5 l of an approx. 3 % Gastrografin solution (30 ml Gastrografin/1 l water). **Dosage for rectal use** Adults For adult patients the contrast medium should be diluted with 3 – 4 times its volume of water. In general, unlike a barium-sulfate enema, not more than 500 ml of this Gastrografin dilution is required. Children For children over 5 years of age, the contrast medium should be diluted with 4 – 5 times its volume of water; for children up to 5 years of age a dilution with 5 times its volume of water is recommended. Therapy of meconium ileus Gastrografin can be given by enema for non-operative treatment of an uncomplicated meconium ileus. Advantage is taken of the high osmotic pressure of the contrast medium: the surrounding tissue is forced to release considerable amounts of fluid, which then flows into the gut and dissolves the hardened meconium. **Dosage for Gastrografin in combination with barium sulfate** Adults In adult patients, addition of approximately 30 ml Gastrografin to the usual dose of barium sulfate has been shown to be most satisfactory. Children In children from 5 – 10 years of age, 10 ml Gastrografin may be added to the necessary amount of barium sulfate, in patients up to 5 years of age, addition of 2 – 5 ml Gastrografin to 100 ml barium sulfate suspension has proved of value. If necessary (in cases of pylorospasm or pyloric stenosis), the portion of Gastrografin in the suspension may be further increased. This does not affect the contrast. Exposures Exposures of the stomach are taken in the usual way whether Gastrografin is used alone or in combination with barium sulfate. The time taken for emptying of the stomach is the same as for barium sulfate whereas that for filling of the intestine is shorter. When Gastrografin alone is used, the contrast medium has generally reached the rectum after 2 hours, while the Gastrografin/barium sulfate mixture may take up to 3 hours and, in individual cases, longer. The most favourable time for taking exposures of the colon is indicated by the urge to defaecate which all patients experience.