Glass J M, Scott H J
Department of Surgery, Ashford Hospital, Middlesex, England, UK.
J R Soc Med. 1995 Aug;88(8):450-3.
The presentation to surgical units of patients carrying illegal drugs in the gastrointestinal tract is a frequent occurrence at hospitals sited close to international airports. Drugs, usually heroin or cocaine, are wrapped in cellophane packets or condoms. The packages are intracorporeally concealed by being swallowed or passed into the rectum. The majority of drug traffickers carrying intracorporeal drug packages do not require any medical intervention. Recent reports have suggested that these patients are best treated expectantly avoiding any operative procedures. However, the quantity of drug in any one of the ingested packets is usually above the toxic dose and acute drug toxicity, as well as bowel obstruction, can result in fatalities. We report a series of five patients who presented over a period of 2 years to a hospital close to Heathrow International Airport, London. The presentation and treatment are reviewed and the management of such 'surgical mules' discussed. We have shown that conservative treatment is appropriate providing bowel obstruction or package perforation has not occurred.
在靠近国际机场的医院里，携带藏于胃肠道内非法毒品的患者被送至外科病房的情况屡见不鲜。毒品通常为海洛因或可卡因，用玻璃纸包装或避孕套包裹。这些包裹通过吞咽或经直肠送入体内隐藏起来。大多数体内藏有毒品包裹的毒贩不需要任何医疗干预。最近的报告表明，对这些患者最好采取保守治疗，避免任何手术操作。然而，任何一个摄入包裹中的毒品量通常都超过中毒剂量，急性药物中毒以及肠梗阻都可能导致死亡。我们报告了一系列5例患者，他们在2年时间里被送至伦敦希思罗国际机场附近的一家医院。本文回顾了这些患者的临床表现及治疗情况，并讨论了对此类“人体运毒者”的处理方法。我们已经表明，只要没有发生肠梗阻或包裹穿孔，保守治疗是合适的。
