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Body packers: a plea for conservative treatment
Jacob K de Bakker1, P W B Nanayakkara, L M G Geeraedts
1Department of Surgery, VU University medical centre, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.debakker@vumc.nl
Langenbeck'S Archives of Surgery
|October 11, 2011
Summary
Conservative management is effective for body packers with drug packets in the stomach for over 48 hours. Surgery is recommended only for those exhibiting signs of intoxication or ileus, not solely based on packet duration.
Area of Science:
- Medical toxicology
- Gastroenterology
- Emergency medicine
Background:
- Body packing, or internal concealment of illegal drugs, is a growing concern in Western countries.
- This study addresses the management outcomes for individuals engaged in body packing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of conservative and surgical interventions for body packers.
- To determine optimal treatment protocols based on packet presence duration and patient condition.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of clinical data from body packers admitted between January 2004 and December 2009.
- Comparison of outcomes between conservative and surgical management groups.
- Assessment of morbidity and mortality based on the duration of gastric packet presence (<48 hours vs. >48 hours).
Main Results:
- Conservative treatment was more frequently employed during the study period.
- Overall mortality was 2%, attributed to intoxication, with no significant difference in mortality or admission times between groups based on packet duration.
- Ruptured drug packets occurred in 24% of patients with poor package material, leading to one fatality.
Conclusions:
- Drug packets in the stomach for over 48 hours do not necessitate surgery.
- Surgery should be reserved for body packers presenting with intoxication or ileus.
- Conservative management is recommended for all other body packers.
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