Clinical, diagnostic, and treatment features of Body Packing in Brazil: drugs, cell phones and beyond

Abstract

Background: Body packing is the smuggling of drugs and other contents inside the human body and may represent a serious health risk. Despite studies from several countries, the clinical and surgical aspects of this emergency in Brazil have not been well-explored, especially when considering non-narcotic contents. Thus, the main objective of this study was to investigate cases of body packers treated by the surgical emergency service of a tertiary hospital in a central region of Brazil. We sought to highlight this medical emergency by considering both narcotic and non-narcotic contents smuggled by body packers. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of body packers admitted from January 2015 to December 2019 at one of the main tertiary hospitals in central Brazil. Ten cases of body packing were observed. Results: Only 50% of the patients carried drugs, while surprisingly, 70% carried non-content, such as cell phones (40%), cell phone chargers (40%), Durepox adhesives (10%), small saws (10%), and pen-drives (10%). All the patients were male, inmates, and young adults, and body packing was carried out by oral ingestion. In 20% of the cases, there were no important clinical manifestations; in 60% of the cases, there were signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal obstruction; and in 30%, there was acute narcotic intoxication. Abdominal radiography was used for diagnosis in 80% of the cases, and endoscopy and tomography were used for the remaining 20%. In 90% of the cases, emergency laparotomy with gastrostomy was required. All the patients successfully recovered. Conclusions: There was a higher prevalence of body packing of non-narcotic content; however, clinical and radiological presentations were similar to those of narcotic content, except for the presentation of acute narcotic intoxication. Emergency surgery was the most utilized intervention for the body packers and proved to be effective for both content types. This study highlights the concerning high prevalence of body packing of cell phones and accessories in addition to drugs; therefore, health professionals, surgeons, and security agents must be aware of the involvement of body packing in the trafficking of non-narcotic contents in Brazil.

Clinical, Diagnostic, and Treatment Features of Body Packing in Brazil: Drugs, Cell Phones, and Beyond

“…Therefore, this study aimed to identify and describe cases of body packers treated in an emergency department in a tertiary hospital in the central region of Brazil. A previous preprint has been published [ 12 ].…”