Body Packers and Imaging: A Case Report

Year 2020, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 54 - 56, 01.03.2020

Onur Tutar , Yonca Senem Akdeniz , İbrahim İkizceli , Türkan İkizceli

https://doi.org/10.38175/phnx.658740

Abstract

Introduction: The body-packer is an international smuggler who ingests packed illicit drugs. Imaging is very important for diagnosis and management of these patients.
Case report: We present a case of cocaine body-packing detected through scan. A 50-year-old Brazilian male was brought to the emergency department for detailed clinical examination and to verify any possible illicit drug packages within the gastrointestinal system. After the absence of drug intoxication symptoms, we performed abdominal computed tomography scan. And it showed the presence of ingested packets from stomach to rectum. The patient was kept under surveillance and during his observation in hospital he excreted all cocaine packets.
Conclusion: Body packers put themselves at considerable risk as rupture of packet inside the body may be fatal. The patients should be monitored to detect complications, enabling early treatment, and to remove or assist in the expulsion of drug packages from the body. Computed tomography is a fast, reliable and reproducible method for detection of ingested packets.

Keywords

Body packer, Computed tomography, Illicit drugs, Imaging

Canlı Kuryeler ve Görüntüleme: Olgu Sunumu

Abstract

Introduction: The body-packer is an international smuggler who ingests packed illicit drugs. Imaging is very important for diagnosis and management of these patients.
Case report: We present a case of cocaine body-packing detected through scan. A 50-year-old Brazilian male was brought to the emergency department for detailed clinical examination and to verify any possible illicit drug packages within the gastrointestinal system. After the absence of drug intoxication symptoms, we performed abdominal computed tomography scan. And it showed the presence of ingested packets from stomach to rectum. The patient was kept under surveillance and during his observation in hospital he excreted all cocaine packets.
Conclusion: Body packers put themselves at considerable risk as rupture of packet inside the body may be fatal. The patients should be monitored to detect complications, enabling early treatment, and to remove or assist in the expulsion of drug packages from the body. Computed tomography is a fast, reliable and reproducible method for detection of ingested packets.

Keywords

Canlı kurye, Bilgisayarlı tomografi, Uyuşturucu Görüntüleme

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