Drug-related deaths with evidences of body packing: Two case reports and medico-legal issues

Cappelletti, Simone; Aromatario, Mariarosaria; Bottoni, Edoardo; Fiore, Paola Antonella; Straccamore, Marco; Ronchi, Federica Umani; Mari, Guido Maria De; Ciallella, Costantino

doi:10.1016/j.legalmed.2016.03.007

Cited by 13 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Cocaine is the most common drug detected in body carriage (70-90%). Heroin body packing is the second most common follow-up after cocaine [5]. However, while other narcotics such as MAH are rarely carriers due to lower profit margins compared to cocaine and heroin; Due to its easy synthesis, affordable price for the user and having a continuous effect, its number has increased today.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first case of body packing was reported in the literature in 1973, with a case who swallowed a cannabis-filled condom and was hospitalized due to intestinal obstruction [4]. It is frequently observed that people with low socioeconomic level, youngmiddle age group and frequently low addiction level are users or non-users [5]. In addition, there was an increase in the types of substances carried and improvements in the form of substance packaging in body carrier.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, acute toxicity can be seen because the packages are semi-permeable. Deaths are rarely reported in the literature due to mechanical complications other than poisoning [4][5][6]. Therefore, it is necessary to diagnose these patients and start treatment as soon as possible.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High-Dose Poisoning, “Body Packers” Case That Ended in An Emergency: A Case Report

Çakır

2021

OAJT

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Background: Body packing cases are a global public health problem with an increasing prevalence today. This situation, which involves a difficult process in both legal and medical terms, is particularly challenging for emergency room clinicians. Effects of body packing on the emergency department, Due to the low profit margin of methamphetamine, we see it rarely compared to cocaine and heroin. With mechanical obstruction and rupture of packages are common problems. The rupture of the packs, they may come to the emergency room clinician with toxidromas.Case: A 19-year-old male patient was brought to the emergency department after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Imaging tests of the patient who had symptoms of sympathomimetic toxidroma upon arrival revealed multiple substance packs. Without a systemic evaluation algorithm in diagnosis and treatment of body packing state, clinicians have difficulties in this issue and delays may be experienced in both diagnosis and treatment in this rare issue. However, complex management of these patients in the emergency department prevents these delays. Bedside x-ray, USG, endoscopy and hemofiltration of the patient were performed in the emergency department. Follow-up and treatment of the patient continued in the emergency critical care unit after all procedures. Conclusion:In our case, we presented the management of the diagnosis and treatment process in the emergency department of a patient who had symptoms of sympathomimetic toxidroma, brought to the emergency room after cardiopulmonary resuscitation and found to have methamphetamine toxicity at the end of the evaluations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High-Dose Poisoning, “Body Packers” Case That Ended in An Emergency: A Case Report

Çakır

2021

OAJT

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“…This practice tries to avoid law enforcement detection and is specially used while crossing borders between countries or entering prisons [1][2][3]. Individuals with contents hidden inside their bodies are known as body packers, and they usually conceal these items, wrapped in the form of capsules, by oral ingestion or rectal/vaginal insertion [4,5]. However, the packing of drugs inside the body poses a serious risk of acute narcotic toxicity because the packages can break and release the stored drug, which can be quickly absorbed by the digestive system [2,3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Guimarães¹,

Cassiano²,

Queiroz³

et al. 2022

Cureus

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Introduction: Body packing consists of the concealment of substances (drugs and non-narcotics) or products inside the human body with the purpose of smuggling and may represent an emergency due to the fatal risk of narcotic toxicity, intestinal obstruction, and visceral perforation. However, non-narcotic body packing, especially in developing countries, is under-evaluated. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate cases of body packers in Brazil as regards narcotic and non-narcotic contents.Methods: This retrospective study analyzes the medical records of body packers admitted from January 2015 to December 2019 at one of the main tertiary hospitals in central Brazil.Results: Ten cases of body packing were observed. We found that five patients carried drugs, while seven carried non-narcotic substances such as cell phones and accessories. All the patients were male, prisoners, and young adults. In six patients, there was gastrointestinal obstruction, and in three, there was acute narcotic intoxication. Abdominal radiography diagnosed eight of the cases. In nine of the cases, emergency laparotomy was required, but all patients successfully recovered. Conclusion: There was a higher prevalence of body packing of non-narcotic content; however, diagnostic and surgical approaches were similar to those of narcotic content. Clinicians must be aware of both nonnarcotic and narcotic body packing.

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“…1 Press and internet reports indicate that the use of PIR, as a heroin adulterant, has spread rapidly in some countries, especially in Asia and Europe. 2 Its use, as adulterant, is believed to produce more profound desirable effects, while decreasing hangover.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heroin–piracetam mixture: Suggested mechanisms of action and risks of misinterpretation for drug users

et al. 2017

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Piracetam is a positive allosteric modulator of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor that has been frequently used in the treatment of cognitive disorders. Press and internet reports indicate that the use of piracetam, as a heroin adulterant, has spread rapidly in some countries, especially in Asia and Europe. Its use, as adulterant, is believed to produce more profound desirable effects, while decreasing hangover. Recent surveys demonstrated that piracetam protects neurons from heroin-induced apoptosis. The protective role of this adulterating substance may be related to restoration of beta-endorphin levels and to its neuroprotective effects. The aim of this paper is to review the relevant literature and suggest the main hypothetical mechanisms that justify its use as a heroin adulterant, try to understand if its use could help people who want to come off heroin by reducing withdrawal symptoms and, finally, give useful information that permit us to understand why drug trafficking organisations started to use piracetam as heroin adulterant.

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Drug-related deaths with evidences of body packing: Two case reports and medico-legal issues

Cited by 13 publications

References 17 publications

High-Dose Poisoning, “Body Packers” Case That Ended in An Emergency: A Case Report

High-Dose Poisoning, “Body Packers” Case That Ended in An Emergency: A Case Report

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

Heroin–piracetam mixture: Suggested mechanisms of action and risks of misinterpretation for drug users

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