Gastric Obstruction by Opium Packets: A Case Report
Background: We reported a case of gastric obstruction in a body packer who swallowed a large number of opium packets. Case Report: A 36-year-old man opium addict visited the emergency department with epigastric pain for three days. He swallowed nearly 90 packets of opium for smuggling purposes four...
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2023-10-01
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Series: | Addiction and Health |
Online Access: | https://ahj.kmu.ac.ir/article_92118_19cad6be62140aeb483eafd51b463b2d.pdf |
Summary: | Background: We reported a case of gastric obstruction in a body packer who swallowed a large number of opium packets. Case Report: A 36-year-old man opium addict visited the emergency department with epigastric pain for three days. He swallowed nearly 90 packets of opium for smuggling purposes four days earlier. He self-administered laxatives. In contrast, many times vomiting, he defecated only four packets and vomited one packet. The abdominal X-rays showed some amounts of fluid-air levels and multiple cylindrical opacities with the double-condom sign, corresponding to the distended stomach. Due to the worsening of his abdominal symptoms, he underwent an urgent laparotomy and 84 packets (4-6 cm in size and 8-10 g/ packet of opium) with a total weight of 870 g. They were wrapped in some layers of plastic and tied at the ends. He was discharged in stable condition. Conclusion: A large number of ingested drug packets can induce gastrointestinal obstruction. |
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ISSN: | 2008-4633 2008-8469 |