title: A body-packer with a cocaine bag stuck in the stomach.
abstract: Management of patients carrying packets of drugs in the digestive tract is a frequent medical problem. We report on a patient who was referred by the police after ingestion of packets of cocaine. After spontaneous elimination of 81 drug packets, the patient had three unremarkable stools. A plain abdominal X-ray disclosed no residual packet but computed tomography (CT) scan showed one in the stomach. As this was not eliminated during the 10 d following ingestion, it was removed through gastrotomy. This case stresses the usefulness of the CT scan to ensure that no residual packet is present before hospital discharge.
authors.affiliation: Yan Beauverd, Department of General Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Beauverd
authors.forename: Pierre-Alexandre
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Poletti
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ris
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dumonceau
authors.forename: Bernice S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Elger