Establishment of a definitive protocol for the diagnosis and management of body packers (drug mules)
Mandava N, Chang R, Wang J, Bertocchi M, Yrad J, Allamaneni S, Aboian E, Lall M, Mariano R, Richards N. Establishment of a definitive protocol for the diagnosis and management of body packers (drug mules). Emergency Medicine Journal 2010, 28: 98. PMID: 21068166, DOI: 10.1136/emj.2008.059717.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBody packersMinimal morbidityClinical patient databaseDistal enterotomyMultiple enterotomiesBowel obstructionCommon complicationConservative managementSurgical managementSurgical interventionWound infectionMean ageFemale ratioComplete clearanceIntraoperative maneuversRadiological studiesForeign bodyGastrointestinal tractPatient databaseEnterotomyDefinitive protocolPatientsPatient dataMorbidityAdmission