Body packers: a plea for conservative treatment

Background The incidence of smuggling and transporting of illegal drugs by internal concealment, also known as body packing, is increasing in the Western world. The objective of this study was to determine the outcome of conservative and surgical approaches in body packers. Materials and methods Cli...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Langenbeck's archives of surgery 2012-01, Vol.397 (1), p.125-130
Main Authors: de Bakker, Jacob K., Nanayakkara, P. W. B., Geeraedts, L. M. G., de Lange, E. S. M., Mackintosh, M. O., Bonjer, H. J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdominal Surgery
Adult
Cardiac Surgery
Cocaine - poisoning
Crime
Drug Packaging
Female
Foreign Bodies - surgery
Foreign Bodies - therapy
General Surgery
Humans
Illicit Drugs
Laparotomy
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Original
Original Article
Stomach
Thoracic Surgery
Traumatic Surgery
Vascular Surgery
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Summary:Background The incidence of smuggling and transporting of illegal drugs by internal concealment, also known as body packing, is increasing in the Western world. The objective of this study was to determine the outcome of conservative and surgical approaches in body packers. Materials and methods Clinical data on body packers admitted to our hospital from January 2004 until December 2009 were collected. The protocol for body packers required surgery when packets were present in the stomach for >48 h. Outcomes of the conservative and surgical group were assessed and analyzed. Morbidity and mortality were assessed in body packers with drug packets present in the stomach for 48 h. Results During the study period, more body packers were treated conservatively. Mortality was 2% in all patients and was due to intoxication. There were no significant differences of mortality, hospital admission time, and ICU admission time in the compared groups with drug packets in the stomach for less or >48 h. In 24% (4/17) of the patients with bad package material, a ruptured drug packet was found during surgery. This resulted in death in only one patient. Conclusion Drug packets in the stomach for >48 h are not an indication for surgery. We recommend that surgery should only be performed in body packers with signs of intoxication or ileus and reserve conservative treatment for all other patients.
ISSN:1435-2443
1435-2451
DOI:10.1007/s00423-011-0846-z