Article

Routes of administration for medications and fluids in the acute care setting have primarily focused on oral, intravenous, or intraosseous routes, but, in many patients, none of these routes is optimal. A novel device (Macy Catheter; Hospi Corp) that offers an easy route for administration of medications or fluids via rectal mucosal absorption (proctoclysis) has recently become available in the palliative care market; we describe here the first known uses of this device in the emergency setting. Three patients presenting to the hospital with conditions limiting more typical routes of medication or fluid administration were treated with this new device; patients were administered water for hydration, lorazepam for treatment of alcohol withdrawal, ondansetron for nausea, acetaminophen for fever, aspirin for antiplatelet effect, and methimazole for hyperthyroidism...