Diagnosis and treatment of the body packer
Keywords:
body packer, intracorporal transport of contraband, mules, swallower.Abstract
Introduction: In 2020, some 284 million people used illicit drugs. To transport drugs there are those who use the inside of their body, called body packers, a dangerous practice that imposes challenges when facing them.
Objectives: Describe the diagnosis and treatment of body packer.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at the "Dr. Carlos J. Finlay" Central Military Hospital from January 2021 to October 2023. The population under study consisted of 9 patients diagnosed as body packers who attended the health care center. Variables used: Age groups, sex, skin color, country of origin, clinical manifestations, complications, complementary exams, treatment, capsule evacuation time, number of capsules and substance transported.
Results: Among human drug carriers, the highest incidence was in adult, mixed race and Latin American patients. Of these, 77.7 % evolved asymptomatic and without complications. The computed tomography confirmed multiple images in the lumen of the digestive tract and the urine toxicological analysis reported: Cocaine in 100 % of the patients, in addition, among them, one positive for marijuana. The treatment used was conservative: Oral polyethylene glycol, with high effectiveness and average evacuation time of 15 hours; quantity of capsules in the range of 22 to 146.
Conclusions: Computed tomography is useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of body packers. Conservative treatment for asymptomatic patients, with multidisciplinary surveillance and the use of polyethylene glycol, is safe and efficient.
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References
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19. Porangaba Rodrigues B. A "Mula" do tráfico transnacional de drogas como vítima do tráfico internacional de pessoas: uma análise crítica a partir do Filme Maria Cheia De Graça [Internet]. [Trabajo de conclusión de curso]. Salvador de Bahía: Faculdade de Direito da Universidade Federal; 2018. [acceso: 29/05/2023]. Disponible en: https://repositorio.ufba.br/bitstream/ri/28246/1/Bruno%20Porangaba%20Rodrigues.pdf
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21. Mathew RP, Sarasamma S, José M. Clinical presetation, diagnosis and management of aerodigestive tract foreignbodies in the adult population: Part 1. S Afr J Rad. 2021 [acceso: 26/04/2023]; 25(1): [aprox. 13]. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S2078-67782021000100011
2. United Nations Office On Drugs And Crime (UNOODC). World Drug Report 2022. Fascículo 4. Drug Market Trends cocaine amphetamine-Type Stimulants new Psychoactive Substances. New York: UNOODC; 2022. [acceso: 15/07/2023]. Disponible en: https://www.unodc.org/res/wdr2022/MS/WDR22_Booklet_4.pdf
3. Sturla Lompré, P. Mulas, la cara visible del narcotráfico. Estudio sobre el tráfico de drogas a través de aeropuertos argentinos bajo la modalidad de correos humanos [Internet]. [Trabajo final integrador]. Argentina: Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Bernal; 2021. [acceso: 10/07/2022]. Disponible en: http://ridaa.unq.edu.ar/handle/20.500.11807/3103
4. Mercado MF, Ensuncho CR, Posada JC. Tratamiento médico del "body packer" entre los años 2014 y 2016 en un hospital universitario del caribe colombiano. Rev Colomb Cir. 2018 [acceso: 15/05/2023]; 33(3):265-71. Disponible en: https://www.revistacirugia.org/index.php/cirugia/article/view/71/55
5. Paiva LF. As dinámicas do mercado ilegal de cocaína na tríplice fronteira entre Brasil, Peru e Colômbia. Revista Brasileira De Ciências Sociais. 2019 [acceso: 15/05/2023]; 34(99): [aprox. 19 p.]. Disponible en: https://www.scielo.br/j/rbcsoc/a/MnH57mtDTqqwzgvB8LhXMnz/?format=pdf&lang=pt
6. Bestard Pavón LA, Barrero Viera L, Belaunde Clausell A, Rivero Vázquez I. Tratamiento médico del body packer o mulas de drogas. Revista Cubana Medicina Militar. 2023 [acceso: 03/06/2023]; 52(1): [aprox. 19 pant.]. Disponible en: https://revmedmilitar.sld.cu/index.php/mil/article/view/2267
7. Castro Porteiro N. Tráfico ilegal de drogas e intervención quirúrxica non consentida [Internet]. [Trabajo Fin de Grado]. Brasil: Universidad de Coruña; 2019. [acceso: 29/05/2022]. Disponible en: https://ruc.udc.es/dspace/bitstream/handle/2183/25345/CastroPorteiro_Natali-a_TFG_2019.pdf
8. Herrera Jara LE. Correos humanos: víctimas o partícipes. Rev Cathedra. 2021; 1(15):26-52. DOI: 10.37594/cathedra.n15.470
9. Gonçalves B. As "Mulas" do tráfico internacional de drogas: A Visão Por Meio Das Políticas Públicas E Dos Tratados Internacionais [Internet]. [Trabajo de Terminación de Curso]. Caxias do Sul: Universidade de Caxias do Sul; 2020. [acceso: 30/05/2023]. Disponible en: https://repositorio.ucs.br/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11338/6414/TCC%20Giulia%20F-a%C3%A9.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
10. Ribeiro L, Martino N, Lemos Duarte T. Antes das grades: perfis e dinámicas criminais de mulheres presas em Minas Gerais. Revista Sociedade e Estado. 2021 [acceso: 16/05/2023]; 36(2):639-67. Disponible en: https://www.scielo.br/j/se/a/mSLsJZdthfb3wynZTTrkQqs/?format=pdf&lang=pt
11. González L. A mulher negra na sociedade brasileira: uma abordagem político-econômica. En Flavia Rios y Lima Márcia (Orgs.). Por um feminismo afro-latino- americano. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar Editores, 2020. [acceso: 26/04/2023]. Disponible en: https://mulherespaz.org.br/site/wpcontent/uploads/2021/06/feminismo-afro-latino-americano.pdf
12. Eugenia Sinatra F. ¿Guerra contra las drogas o guerra contra las mujeres? El encarcelamiento de las mujeres mulas del narcotráfico [Internet]. [Tesis de Abogacía]. Buenos Aires: Universidad de San Andrés. Departamento de Derecho Abogacía; 2020. [acceso: 03/06/2022]. Disponible en: https://repositorio.udesa.edu.ar/jspui/bitstream/10908/18149/1/%5BP%5D%5BW-%5D%20T.%20G.%20Abo.%20Sinatra%2C%20Florencia%20Eugenia.pdf
13. Viscardi N, Tenenbaum G. Violencias, territorios y tráfico de drogas en América Latina Rev Cien Soc. 2023 [acceso: 04/12/2023]; 36(53):7-14. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.edu.uy/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0797-55382023000200007
14. Aracena Aravena J, Vargas Gajardo C, De la Maza Soto MV. Tráfico de drogas y body packing, serie de casos y breve revisión: la experiencia de una tarde. Rev Chil Radiol. 2022 [acceso: 16/04/2023]; 28(1):42-5. Disponible en: https://www.scielo.cl/pdf/rchradiol/v28n1/0717-9308-rchrad-28-1-42.pdf
15. Adem Ç, Ramazan G, Kemal S. High-Dose Poisoning, "Body Packers" Case That Ended in An Emergency: A Case Report. Open Acc J of Toxicol. 2021 [acceso: 16/04/2023]; 5(2): [aprox. 10]. Disponible en: https://juniperpublishers.com/oajt/pdf/OAJT.MS.ID.555659.pdf
16. Borgsteede SD, Verwer PE, Prins G, Wijma RA, de Keijzer K, Alsma J, et al. A body packer with cannabis. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2019 [acceso: 28/05/2023]; 163:D3403. Disponible en: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30719888/
17. Zhun Ming Lim R, Aun Wei Ang A, Huei Tan J. The Enigma in Management of Complicated Foreign Body Ingestion Impacted Distal to Oesophagus: A Case Series and Literature Review Durham. JUMMEC; 2020 [acceso: 18/07/2022]; 25(2):[aprox. 12 p]. Disponible en: https://ejournal.um.edu.my/index.php/jummec/article/download/32313/14315/84432
18. Sánchez Relinque D, Gómez Modet S, Lara Palmero C. Manejo y tratamiento de los body packers. CirAndal. 2019 [acceso: 05/06/2023]; 30(1):77-82. Disponible en: https://www.asacirujanos.com/documents/revista/pdf/2019/Cir_Andal_vol30_n1_12.pdf
19. Porangaba Rodrigues B. A "Mula" do tráfico transnacional de drogas como vítima do tráfico internacional de pessoas: uma análise crítica a partir do Filme Maria Cheia De Graça [Internet]. [Trabajo de conclusión de curso]. Salvador de Bahía: Faculdade de Direito da Universidade Federal; 2018. [acceso: 29/05/2023]. Disponible en: https://repositorio.ufba.br/bitstream/ri/28246/1/Bruno%20Porangaba%20Rodrigues.pdf
20. Lozano De Ávila CA, Rivas Zuñiga GM, Square Nieves KC, Zurita Medrano NJ, Iglesias Medrano JM. Body Packer: An Experience in a Reference Hospital. Panamerican Journal of Trauma, Critical Care & Emergency Surgery. 2021 [acceso: 15/05/2023]; 10 (1):43-5. Disponible en: https://www.pajtcces.com/doi/PAJT/pdf/10.5005/jp-journals-10030-1309
21. Mathew RP, Sarasamma S, José M. Clinical presetation, diagnosis and management of aerodigestive tract foreignbodies in the adult population: Part 1. S Afr J Rad. 2021 [acceso: 26/04/2023]; 25(1): [aprox. 13]. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S2078-67782021000100011
Published
2024-04-12
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1.
Bestard Pavón LA, Barrero Viera L, Belaunde Clausell A, Leal Venta A, Arias Hernández R, Garcia González Y. Diagnosis and treatment of the body packer. Rev Cubana Med Milit [Internet]. 2024 Apr. 12 [cited 2025 May 14];53(2):e024014326. Available from: https://revmedmilitar.sld.cu/index.php/mil/article/view/14326
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