string to integer problem

[Lol McBride]

Hi all,
I'm currently having problems with data returned from a MySQL database in
as much as the data returned is of the form '(1,10,23,33,35,48)' i.e. a
list variable holding 6 integers returned as a string. 
I can't seem to get around how to return the data to it's original format
i.e. the list with 6 integers - I have tried slicing the string and
converting the charachters individually but then I run into trouble when I
have integers over two digits wide as I can't combine the two separate
digits back into the original number.
I feel sure that someone has come across this before and I hope that my
request for help on this will be answered.
Thanks ,
Lol McBride