Citation

Utecht MJ, Stone AF, McCarron MM. J. Emerg. Med. 1993; 11(1): 33-40.

Affiliation

University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8445184

Abstract

Fourteen body packers carrying 2-112 heroin packages are reported. Nine people swallowed the packets, and five inserted them rectally. The ingested packages were large and radio-opaque; they consisted of hard lumps of concentrated heroin usually covered with glove latex, white adhesive tape, and a toy balloon. There were two complications in the 14 patients. One patient developed a bowel obstruction; at laparotomy 8 packages were found in the stomach and 27 at the ileo-cecal valve. Another patient, with heroin wrapped only with black electrician's tape and no latex inner or outer wrappings, developed heroin intoxication, noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, and a bowel obstruction. Eighteen packages were surgically removed from his stomach and 26 from his bowel. We recommend bisacodyl suppositories, activated charcoal mixed with a 3% sodium sulfate cathartic, and phosphosoda enemas for package removal; close observation for heroin toxicity or bowel obstruction; and surgical intervention for continuing toxicity, retention of packages in the stomach, or bowel obstruction.

Language: en