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When people or other living organisms come into contact with radionuclides, they may suffer two types of contamination. External contamination consists of radionuclides attached to the skin, hair, clothes, etc. Internal contamination occurs when radionuclides enter the body or the organism.

To assist physicians in making decisions for suitable treatment, whether for one contaminated individual or many, specialists have developed and published a new operational quantity, the Clinical Decision Guidance (CDG) for different radionuclides and various kinds of intake. CDGs are intended to serve as one measure of the possible need for early treatment of individuals with elevated intake of a radionuclide, especially in mass casualty situations. If radiation exposure exceeds the maximum permissible dose, radiation damage and cancer can occur. Headache, nausea, vomiting, malaise and fatigue are the initial symptoms of radiation sickness. The risk of infection rises with the increasing destruction of immune cells. Skin and mucosal damage, internal and external bleeding and infertility are other possible complications. The greater the intensity of exposure, the higher is the fatality rate. Cancer and gene mutations are the most significant late effects of radiation damage.

External contamination

Radioactive material on the surface of the body is easily detected and evaluated with a simple Geiger-Müller counter. At least 80 to 90 % of external contamination can be removed by disrobing the patient. Additional contaminated areas are then gently washed with soap and water. Removing radioactive material from the skin surface or from wounds will lower the risk that this material will be absorbed. All victims of a radiological dispersion event should initially be considered externally contaminated.

Internal contamination

Internal contamination will occur when unprotected persons are exposed to radionuclides, and the radionuclides enter the system. There are several routes for radionuclides into the human body:

into the respiratory tract via inhalation,

into the gastrointestinal tract via ingestion,

percutaneously via transdermal absorption

through intact or damaged skin (open wounds, abrasions, or burns).

Internal contamination: definition

“Internal contamination: Radioactive contamination of organs or tissues of an organism due to intake of radionuclides (e.g., by ingestion, inhalation, through wounds, or dermal absorption)”

After entering the body, radionuclides are distributed according to their physical and chemical properties and radioactive decay characteristics. Nearly all radioisotopes behave chemically exactly like stable isotopes of the same element. Internal contamination is thus treated much the same as poisoning. This treatment is best carried out by emergency physicians and medical toxicologists.

Some radionuclides are deposited preferentially in a particular organ or tissue. Until they are excreted from the body or diminished by radioactive decay, internally deposited radionuclides will irradiate body organs and tissues.

First responders

People cannot see, smell, hear, taste or touch radioactivity. Once radiological material is released, it can affect anyone who happens to be close by, whether relief worker or victim. No one can tell immediately if they have been exposed to radiation. In addition to the victims in the immediate vicinity of an incident, it is the first responders who are particularly exposed to the threat of contamination. Yet unlike those who are victims simply by chance, fire fighters, police officers, medical, technical and volunteer relief workers enter crisis zones fully aware of the dangers. They willingly risk their health, their lives, and their safety to help and protect others. Those who dispatch them therefore carry a special responsibility for the safety of the first response teams. It should be a top priority in every contingency plan to provide first responders with everything that allows them to perform their duties as safely as possible and to focus fully on the task at hand.

You can find a complete text on the importance of medical countermeasures at www.heyltex.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACTS: William J. Burke
MEDIA STATEMENT ON NUCLEAR CRISIS IN JAPAN:
Heyltex Corporation working with United States and Japan to add Production of Radiological Antidotes

Katy, Texas – March 20, 2011 – Heyltex Corporation is the exclusive US distributor of Radiogardase® (Prussian Blue insoluble capsules), the only FDA-approved drug to treat people who have been internally contaminated with radioactive cesium (Cs-137), which is manufactured by Heyl chem. pharm. Fabrik Berlin GmbH in Germany.
Radiogardase® traps radioactive cesium and thallium in the intestines and keeps them from being re-absorbed by the body. Once Cs-137 has entered the body, it goes through a long rotation of re-absorption within the circulatory system. The ingested Cs-137 is reabsorbed almost completely from the gastrointestinal tract, and, via the bloodstream, is transported to the liver where it enters the gall bladder and is finally returned to the intestine. From the intestine, around 90% is again reabsorbed into the bloodstream and the enterohepatic circulation starts anew. Radiogardase® interrupts this enterohepatic absorption of Cs-137 by knocking this cyclic path out of the gastrointestinal tract and sending it out through the feces.
Heyl chem. pharm. Fabrik GmbH is stepping up production of Radiogardase® to help relieve domestic and global demand.
During nuclear incidents, such as the ongoing emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Facility, radioactive material can escape from fuel rods because of heating and consequent cracks in the metal rods. A break in the containment structure, because of explosions or damage from other causes, can permit the radioactive material such as Cs-137 to escape to the environment. The released radioactive material can be inhaled, swallowed with contaminated food or water, or enter the body through open wounds.
Drugs that help to remove this radioactive material from the body are called decorporation drugs. Perhaps best known to the general public is potassium iodide (chemically abbreviated KI). This drug helps keep radioactive iodine from being taken up by the thyroid gland and promotes its excretion. However, there are numerous other decorporation drugs which have been used for many years for accidents involving radiation workers, and rarely, members of the public. Radiogardase® (Prussian Blue insoluble capsules) helps promote the excretion of radioactive cesium, and sodium and calcium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) promote the excretion of radioactive plutonium
According to Carol Marcus Ph.D., M.D. Professor of Radiation Oncology and of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA “The strategic key to emergency preparedness is to stockpile decorporation drugs in advance. Many decorporation drugs have little or no other medical uses, and are not generally kept in pharmacies and hospitals. Dr. Marcus added “The companies that manufacture these limited use drugs are consequently small, and have little or no surge capacity to ramp up manufacturing if large quantities are needed. By stockpiling drugs ahead of time, as is done in the United States, we will have a ready supply if they are needed”.
“The need for these products to be forward deployed around the world is clear,” Alexander Heyl, CEO of Heyltex Corporation states. “Radiogardase is an important part of protecting Americans living near nuclear facilities and a key antidote in protecting against a “Dirty Bomb” attack”. In addition Mr. Heyl states “The unfortunate incident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Facility has put the dangers of radiation exposure on the front page and brought into focus the need for continued planning worldwide”
For more information, visit www.heyltex.com
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