Abstract
The incidence of smuggling and illegal transport of substances by internal concealment, also known as body packing, is increasing. The clinical approach to body packers has changed significantly over the past two decades. In addition, the mortality of body packers is an important issue in patient management. The purpose of the current study is to determine the statistics and mortality related to body packing. In this cross-sectional study, all body packer patients who referred to Loghman Hakim hospital were evaluated from 2010 to 2017. Demographic characteristics, findings of clinical imaging, treatment, and outcome of the patients were recorded. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. A total of 303 patients were enrolled in the study after the diagnosis of body packing by abdominal CT scanning without contrast. Conservative treatment including whole bowel irrigation (WBI) accompanied by close monitoring was done for 78% (n = 236) of patients; moreover, 26 patients (8.5%) underwent surgery after WBI, and 41 patients (13.5%) underwent surgery without bowel irrigation. Mortality was observed in eight patients (2.7%) five of whom (62.5%) died before surgery and had the clinical manifestation of crystal (methamphetamine) and cannabis toxicity. Furthermore, three patients (37.5%) died due to the complications of surgery such as gastrointestinal leakage of an abdominal abscess. Conservative treatment seems to be better for the management of body packers. In addition, it is necessary to monitor patients for possible signs and symptoms of intoxication and gastrointestinal obstruction.
Highlights
Body packers are people who transport illegal substances within their bodies in order to circumvent tracking by the police.[1,2,3] Body packers usually hold a large amount of drugs which are inserted in different parts of the body such as oral cavity, rectum, and vagina.[4,5] Body stuffers or mini body packers are people who carry minor quantities of materials to avoid detection and carry the substances for immediate resale or individual use.[6]
The amount of drug in body packers is approximately 1 kilogram and it is usually divided into multiple packets which can be made from different materials such as latex and aluminum foils but condoms are the most common type of packets.[9,10,11]
This study aimed to describe the demographic characteristics, complications and mortality rate of body packers and body stuffers who were referred to Loghman Hakim hospital, the referral center for body packers in Iran
Summary
Body packers are people who transport illegal substances within their bodies in order to circumvent tracking by the police.[1,2,3] Body packers usually hold a large amount of drugs which are inserted in different parts of the body such as oral cavity, rectum, and vagina.[4,5] Body stuffers or mini body packers are people who carry minor quantities of materials to avoid detection and carry the substances for immediate resale or individual use.[6]. Body packing may have serious medical complications including drug intoxication, which can be fatal, intestinal or pyloric obstruction caused by packets and, rarely rupture of packets.[12,13,14] Management of body packers is different based on the type of drugs.[15] In addition, the mortality of body packers is related to some factors including early diagnosis and general condition of patients which is related to the patients’ approach.[16]. The mortality of body packers is an important issue in patient management.
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