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Systematic review of the toxicological and radiological features of body packing

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Abstract

Body packing is the term used for the intracorporeal concealment of illicit drugs, mainly cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and cannabinoids. These drugs are produced in the form of packages and are swallowed or placed in various anatomical cavities and body orifices. Basing on these two ways of transportation a distinction between body stuffers and body pushers can be made, with the former described as drug users or street dealers who usually carry small amounts of drugs and the latter as professional drug couriers who carry greater amounts of drugs. A review of the literature regarding body packing is presented, with the aim to highlight the toxicological and radiological features related to this illegal practice. Raising awareness about the encountered mean body levels of the drugs and the typical imaging signs of the incorporated packages could be useful for clinicians and forensic pathologists to (a) identify possible unrecognized cases of body packing and (b) prevent the serious health consequences and deaths frequently occurring after the packages’ leakage or rupture or the packages’ mass obstructing the gastrointestinal lumen.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Mr. Fabrizio Fioravanti, librarian of the Institute of Legal Medicine “Cesare Gerin,” Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedic Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, for making accessible precious bibliographical material.

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  1. Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedic Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Simone Cappelletti, Edoardo Bottoni, Paola Antonella Fiore, Mariarosaria Aromatario & Costantino Ciallella

  2. NESMOS (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs) Department, School of Medicine and Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Daria Piacentino & Gabriele Sani

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  7. Costantino Ciallella
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Correspondence to Daria Piacentino.

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This study is part of the FIRB project code RBFR12LD0W_002 and has been funded by a grant of the Italian Ministry of Research.

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Cappelletti, S., Piacentino, D., Sani, G. et al. Systematic review of the toxicological and radiological features of body packing. Int J Legal Med 130, 693–709 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-015-1310-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-015-1310-3

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