title: Body packers: a plea for conservative treatment.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  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 and in those with gastric packets 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors: Department of Surgery, VU University medical centre, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.debakker@vumc.nl
authors: Jacob K
authors: JK
authors: de Bakker
authors: P W B
authors: PW
authors: Nanayakkara
authors: L M G
authors: LM
authors: Geeraedts
authors: E S M
authors: ES
authors: de Lange
authors: M O
authors: MO
authors: Mackintosh
authors: H J
authors: HJ
authors: Bonjer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003042:Cocaine / Q000506:poisoning; D003415:Crime; D004349:Drug Packaging; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D013270:Stomach
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D003042:Cocaine