Cocaine absorption after application of a viscous
cocaine-containing TAC solution

by
Vinci RJ, Fish S, Mirochnick M.
Department of Pediatrics,
Boston University School of Medicine,
Boston Medical Center,
Boston, MA, USA.
bob.vinci@bmc.org
Ann Emerg Med. 1999 Oct;34(4 Pt 1):498-502


ABSTRACT

STUDY OBJECTIVES: We sought to measure plasma cocaine and benzoylecgonine levels in children after application of a solution of a topical anesthetic containing tetracaine 0.5%, epinephrine 1:2, 000, and viscous cocaine 5.9% (TAC) to lacerations requiring suture repair. Previous reports demonstrating cocaine absorption used aqueous cocaine. The purpose of this study is to determine whether systemic absorption occurs with viscous cocaine. METHODS: We used a convenience sample of children in a pediatric emergency department during the summer months of 1994 and 1995. Participants were pediatric patients less than 15 years of age with simple lacerations requiring suturing. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 8.5 years (range, 3 to 13 years). Lacerations tended to be small, with a mean length of 2.2 cm (range, 1 to 8 cm). Plasma cocaine and benzoylecgonine levels were measured by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. The mean time for obtaining the plasma sample for cocaine analysis was 67.2+/-23.9 minutes (range, 28 to 130 minutes) after application of the viscous cocaine-containing TAC solution. Qualitative assay results, which were accurate to 50 ng/mL, were negative in all 25 patients for both plasma cocaine and benzoylecgonine. No child demonstrated any signs or symptoms suggestive of cocaine toxicity. CONCLUSION: In our study, application of viscous cocaine-containing TAC solutions to small lacerations did not produce clinically important cocaine absorption.


TAC
History
Local anaesthetics
Karl Koller and cocaine
Freebasing flies go hyperkinetic
Local anaesthesia: from cocaine to ropivacaine


01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24


Refs
HOME
HedWeb
cannabis-marijuana.com
Future Opioids
BLTC Research
Wirehead Hedonism
The Hedonistic Imperative
Anaesthetics and Anaesthesia
MDMA: Utopian Pharmacology
When Is It Best to Take Crack Cocaine?

swan image
The Good Drug Guide
The Responsible Parent's Guide To
Healthy Mood Boosters For All The Family