Gastrografin

Clinical Particulars
Indications
This medicinal product is for use by oral or rectal administration only.
Gastrografin is a contrast medium for the radiological examination of the
gastrointestinal tract (also in combination with barium sulphate). It can be
administered orally or as an enema and is primarily indicated in cases in
which the use of barium sulphate is unsatisfactory, undesirable or
contraindicated. These include:
• suspicion of a radiologically undetectable perforation or anastomotic
defect in the oesophagus and/or gastrointestinal tract
• threatening perforation (peptic ulcer, diverticulum)
• prior resection of the stomach or the intestine (danger of perforation or
leak)
• suspected partial or complete stenosis
• small bowel obstruction
• postoperative ileus
• acute haemorrhage
• other acute conditions which are likely to require surgery
• megacolon
• visualization of a foreign body or tumour before endoscopy
• visualisation of a gastrointestinal fistula

 

In addition to these situations, Gastrografin can generally be used for the
same purposes as barium sulphate with the exception of the visualization of
mucosal diseases. Due to the insufficient coating properties of Gastrografin,
barium sulphate should be used for single or double contrast techniques.
In combination with barium sulphate, Gastrografin has considerably improved
routine investigation of the gastrointestinal tract both from a diagnostic and
from an organisational point of view - in the latter case by speeding up the
examination. It is unsuitable only for the diagnosis of enteritis.
Further indications:
• treatment of uncomplicated meconium ileus
• computerised tomography in the abdominal region. The danger of
incorrect diagnoses in computerised tomography in the abdominal
regions is significantly reduced if the intestine is opacified with
Gastrografin, especially for differential diagnoses in the minor pelvis.
Gastrografin facilitates delimitation of the intestine from neighbouring
organs and permits an assessment of changes in the shape of the
pancreas.