Body packers and stuffers Flashcards
What is a body packer?
Ingested large quantities of well packed and sealed drugs
What is a body stuffer?
Someone who ingested smaller quantities of poorly wrapped drugs often when approached by the police
What is a drug pusher?
Someone who stores drugs by pushing them up their own rectum/vagina
Why are drug stuffers high risk?
Poorly wrapped drugs e.g. in clingfilm that can disintegrate in the GI tract by the HCl in the stomach. This exposes the patient to large quantities of toxin
What is the correct way to handle an illegal drug if you come across one in hospital?
Store in the Controlled Drugs Department to be pharmacologically tested. Do not hand back to patient (supply and production), do not take (possession) and do not destroy (obstruction of police)
What is a schedule 1 drug?
A drug that has high potential for abuse which may lead to psychological or physical dependence
What imaging technique should be used for detection of mules?
Low dose CT scan - more sensitive and produces fewer false positives than Xray which struggles to differentiate between stool and drugs
How might you manage someone who has severe cocaine toxicity?
Early sedation and laparotomy
GTN, aspirin, diazepam (NOT beta blockers).
Early sedation and intubation. VT treated with lidocaine, acidosis treated with sodium bicarbonate, renal failure treated via haemofiltration
How would you manage someone who is asymptomatic?
Whole body irrigation
Light/normal diet
Monitor for bowel obstruction or intoxication
Can discharge asap
