Surgical approach to body packing.

PURPOSE: Body packers, i.e. individuals carrying illegal drug packages in their bodies, are usually managed medically. For the minority, surgical intervention is needed.

METHODS

We review our experience to compare surgical and nonsurgical approaches for treating symptomatic body-packing patients.

RESULTS

From April 2004 to March 2007, 45 patients were referred to our hospital. Nine of them underwent surgical intervention. The number of packets and total swallowed drugs were more among surgically-treated patients (P = 0.003, 0.004 respectively). The mean duration between drug swallowing and admission to the hospital was longer among surgically-treated patients (P = 0.001). Surgically-treated patients were more symptomatic. Resistant toxicity and symptomatic cocaine and heroin mixture packing were the most common indications for surgery. Surgery was usually performed without any complication.

CONCLUSION

Surgical intervention is indicated for body packers with persistent nonresponsive toxicity, gastrointestinal obstruction or perforation, and symptomatic cocaine packers.