heroin and Abdomen--Acute

Topics: Abdomen, Acute; Adult; Anthrax; Bacillus anthracis; Drug Contamination; Fatal Outcome; Heroin; Humans; Male; Peritonitis; Radiography; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Young Adult

Since the 1980s the abuse of cocaine has been -associated with gastroduodenal perforations in the United States. Here, we report the case of a 28-year-old man who came to our hospital with severe abdominal pain after smoking cocaine. Physical examination revealed generalised abdominal guarding. His X-ray did not show any free intraperitoneal air. However, there was a slightly elevated white blood cell count. Upon laparoscopic exploration of the abdomen, the -patient was found to have a generalised peritonitis secondary to a perforation of the prepyloric anterior wall. The operative procedure consisted of ulcer excision and primary closure with a pyloroplasty as well as an extensive abdominal irrigation after laparotomy.

Topics: Abdomen, Acute; Adult; Cocaine; Cocaine-Related Disorders; Diagnosis, Differential; Heroin; Heroin Dependence; Humans; Laparoscopy; Male; Narcotics; Peptic Ulcer Perforation; Peritonitis; Pylorus; Stomach Ulcer; Vasoconstrictor Agents

Topics: Abdomen, Acute; Aneurysm, Infected; Contracture; Diagnosis, Differential; Femoral Artery; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Hand; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Heroin; Humans; Inflammation; Injections, Intravenous; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Substance-Related Disorders; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Tetanus; Thrombophlebitis