"Body stuffing" and "Body packing" - Forensic control of human excrements in police custody in Hamburg, Germany

The most practical diagnostic imaging for detecting body packers during the drug trafficking: Ultrasonography

INTRODUCTION

Body packing is one of the most common methods used in the transboundary trafficking of illicit drugs. These drugs are packaged in capsules and taken orally or inserted into the rectum or vagina. Its diagnosis is, therefore, difficult. Methods like x-ray, ultrasonography, and computed tomography (CT) are usually used to diagnose body packers. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic power and feasibility of ultrasonography as a diagnostic tool in patients who have a suspicion of being body packers.

METHODS

This study is designed as a prospective and single-centered case-control study in the emergency department of a training and research hospital. Cases admitted to the emergency department with suspicion of being a body packer were included in the study. The data obtained was recorded on the study form. p < 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant.

RESULTS

One hundred and one patients were included in the study; 76.2% (n = 77) were male. Packages were detected in 56.5% (n = 57) of the cases. Ultrasonography was found to be significantly useful in evaluating the presence of intra-abdominal packages. Ultrasonography had 92.4% sensitivity and 97.8% specificity in evaluating the presence of packs.

CONCLUSION

CT is frequently used to diagnose patients admitted to the emergency departments with suspected body packing. In our study, ultrasonography is an advantageous imaging method, given its success rate, radiation-free nature, and low cost. We have found ultrasonography to be a successful imaging modality in examining patients suspected of being body packers for the presence of packs, and it can replace CT in clinics.

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

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 non-narcotic and narcotic body packing.