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

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinícius Henrique Almeida Guimarães ◽  
Carolina Cassiano ◽  
Dylmadson Iago de Queiroz ◽  
Christian Tales Elias ◽  
Roberto da Mata Lenza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Phones ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Emergency Laparotomy ◽  
Abdominal Radiography ◽  
Body Packing ◽  
Central Brazil ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Tertiary Hospitals ◽  
Body Packers ◽  
Male Prisoners

Abstract Introduction: Body packing is the smuggling of drugs and other contents inside the human body. However, non-narcotic contents studies are limited to rare case reports in literature. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate cases of body packers in Brazil considering narcotic and non-narcotic contents. Methods: Retrospective study analyzing 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. Only 50% of the patients carried drugs, while surprisingly, 70% carried non-content, especially cell phones and accessories. All the patients were male, prisoners and young adults. In 60%, there were gastrointestinal obstruction and in 30%, there was acute narcotic intoxication. Abdominal radiography was enough for diagnosis in 80% of the cases. In 90% of the cases, emergency laparotomy was required, but all the patients successfully recovered. Conclusions: There was a higher prevalence of body packing of non-narcotic content; however, clinical and radiological presentations were similar to those of narcotic content. Emergency surgery proved to be effective for both content types. This study highlights the concerning high prevalence of body packing of cell phones and accessories in addition to drugs.

scholarly journals Radiological features of body packers: An experience from a regional accident and emergency department in close proximity to the Hong Kong International Airport

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 202-210
Author(s):  
Ho Kai Patrick Tsang ◽  
Cheuk Kei Kathy Wong ◽  
Oi Fung Wong ◽  
Wing Lun William Chan ◽  
Hing Man Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Body Packing ◽  
Radiological Features ◽  
International Airport ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
Body Packers ◽  
Solid Form ◽  
Hong Kong International Airport

Background: Body packing is a frequently used method for drug trafficking. Local information about the clinical and radiological features of body packing is lacking. Objectives: To evaluate the radiological features of body packers presenting to a hospital near to the Hong Kong International Airport and to compare the radiological features of solid form versus liquid cocaine. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Medical notes of 269 suspected body packers, presenting to the Accident and Emergency Department of North Lantau Hospital under the detention by the law enforcement personnel from 1st January 2015 to 28th February 2017, were reviewed. The radiological features of body packing were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Sixty-nine cases were confirmed body packers radiographically. Majority of them (81%, 56/69) were cocaine packers. Powder form cocaine (67%, 49/69) was the most popular drug packed, followed by liquid cocaine (15%, 10/69). There was a trend of increasing incidence of liquid cocaine packers. The classical ‘double condom’, ‘tic tac’ and ‘halo’ signs were present in 94%, 72.5% and 42% of cases with radiologically confirmed body packing respectively. The ‘rosette’ sign was only identified in 1 case. Three new radiological signs, the ‘bag of eggs’, ‘lucent triangle’ and ‘black crescent’ sign, were suggested to aid identification of drug packets. The classical ‘tic tac’ sign was absent in all liquid cocaine packing cases (p<0.05). The liquid cocaine packets appeared irregular with indistinct border in majority of cases (p<0.05). The solid form packets were mostly opaque to faeces while liquid cocaine had variable density (p<0.05). Most solid form packets had homogeneous content which was in contrast to the heterogeneous content in liquid cocaine (p<0.05). Conclusion: Failure in detecting drug body packing may result in medicolegal consequences. Emergency physicians need to be aware of subtle radiological signs of liquid cocaine packets in the plain abdominal radiography.

scholarly journals High Exposure to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora Spp. in Donkeys in Israel: Serological Survey and Case Reports

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1921
Author(s):  
Sharon Tirosh-Levy ◽  
Amir Steinman ◽  
Avital Minderigiu ◽  
Ori Arieli ◽  
Igor Savitski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Palestinian Authority ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
High Exposure ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Animal Shelters ◽  
Source Of Infection ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Coccidian Parasites

Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. are closely related cyst-forming coccidian parasites, which infect various animal species and have considerable zoonotic and economic implications, respectively. Both parasites are endemic in Israel and have been reported to infect wild and domestic animals. This study was conceived to evaluate the serologic exposure of donkeys to these parasites. Serum samples were collected from 98 donkeys. Half of them (n = 49) were from animal shelters in Israel, and the rest (n = 49) were working donkeys from the Palestinian Authority. The donkeys were screened for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma and anti-Neospora antibodies by immunofluorescence antibody tests (IFATs). The seroprevalence of T. gondii and Neospora spp. was 94% and 70%, respectively, and 69% of the donkeys were exposed to both parasites. In addition, N. caninum tissue cysts were documented in two donkeys during post-mortem examination. This is the first report of the exposure of donkeys to T. gondii and Neospora spp. in the area. The high prevalence found in this study suggests that donkeys may have a role in the maintenance of these parasites in the area, thus serving as a source of infection for the definitive hosts.

scholarly journals A recent update of the diagnostic methods for tuberculosis and their applicability in Indonesia: a narrative review

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-91
Author(s):  
Tri Nugraha Susilawati ◽  
Riska Larasati
Keyword(s):  
Delayed Diagnosis ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
World Health ◽  
Current State ◽  
Interferon Gamma Release Assays ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
The World ◽  
Golden Standard ◽  
Tertiary Hospitals ◽  
Health Organization

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global problem, especially with the high prevalence of HIV-TB co-infection. Delayed diagnosis and continual transmission contribute to high mortality in Indonesia, which has the third highest incidence of TB in the world, after China and India. Therefore, early diagnosis is needed to reduce the number of cases and to administer therapy to prevent the transmission of bacteria. The diagnosis of TB remains a challenge in clinical practice due to poor sensitivity and the requirement of skilled staff in microscopic tests, the slow growth Mycobacterium in culture, and the low number of bacilli present in extrapulmonary TB. Despite being the golden standard for TB diagnosis, cultures require 2–8 weeks to grow. Other methods for diagnosing TB include interferon-gamma release assays and serologic tests such as the tuberculin skin test. Recently, the World Health Organization recommended the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay for diagnosing TB. This review presents the current state of TB epidemiology and various methods for TB diagnosis. In particular, the paper provides an in-depth discussion about the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay that has been made available recently in selected tertiary hospitals in Indonesia.

scholarly journals Hashish Body Packing: A Case Report

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Jesus Soriano-Perez ◽  
Jose Luis Serrano-Carrillo ◽  
Inmaculada Marin-Montin ◽  
Alfonso Cruz-Caballero
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Foreign Bodies ◽  
Law Enforcement Officers ◽  
Abdominal Radiograph ◽  
Body Packing ◽  
Plain Abdominal Radiograph ◽  
International Borders ◽  
Contrast Enhanced ◽  
Body Packers

A 42-year-old African male was brought by the police to the emergency department under suspicion of drug smuggling by body-packing. Plain abdominal radiograph showed multiple foreign bodies within the gastrointestinal tract. Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT confirmed the findings, and the patient admitted to have swallowed “balls” of hashish. Body-packing is a recognized method of smuggling drugs across international borders. Body packers may present to the emergency department because of drug toxicity, intestinal obstruction, or more commonly, requested by law-enforcement officers for medical confirmation or exclusion of suspected body packing.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury in a Male Adult Prison Population and Its Association with the Offence Type

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 164-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracey Mitchell ◽  
Alice Theadom ◽  
Elizabeth du Preez
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Prison Population ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Sentence Length ◽  
Male Adult ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
History Of ◽  
Prison Populations ◽  
Male Prisoners

Background: The prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in prison populations has been found to vary considerably. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of TBI in a prison population in New Zealand and to identify whether age, ethnicity, offence type, security classification and sentence length were linked to TBI prevalence. Methods: All offenders admitted to a new Corrections Facility over a 6-month period (May-November 2015) were screened to understand their history of TBI. Data was merged with demographic information, details of the offence type, sentence length and security classification from the prison database. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the contribution of predictors on TBI history. Results: Of the 1,061 eligible male prisoners, 1,054 (99.3%) completed a TBI history screen. Out of the 672 (63.7%) who had sustained at least one TBI in their lifetime, 343 (32.5%) had experienced multiple injuries. One in 5 participants experienced their first TBI injury before the age of 15 years. A regression model was able to correctly classify 66.9% of cases and revealed that belonging to Māori ethnicity or being imprisoned for violent, sexual or burglary offences were independently predictive of TBI (χ2 = 9.86, p = 0.28). Conclusions: The high prevalence of TBI within male prisoners and a high proportion of injuries sustained in childhood suggest the need for routine screening for TBI to identify prisoners at risk of persistent difficulties. Interventions to support those experiencing persistent difficulties post-TBI are needed to optimise functioning and prevent reoffending.

scholarly journals Fatal Hemorrhage from a Gastroaortic Fistula Secondary to Gastric Ulceration Associated with Nissen Fundoplication and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Use

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marsoh Manduch ◽  
John P Rossiter ◽  
William T Depew ◽  
C Dale Mercer ◽  
David J Hurlbut
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Nissen Fundoplication ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Rare Complication ◽  
Gastric Ulceration ◽  
Emergency Laparotomy ◽  
Inflammatory Drug ◽  
Fatal Hemorrhage ◽  
Anti Inflammatory ◽  
High Index Of Suspicion

Acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage from a gastroaortic fistula in the gastric fundoplication pouch is a rare complication of Nissen fundoplication. The present case reports a gastroaortic fistula secondary to gastric ulceration associated with prior Nissen fundoplication and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. A 55-year-old man presented with massive hematemesis and died of exsanguination during emergency laparotomy. Recognition of factors that predispose a patient to gastric ulceration after fundoplication, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, is critical to arouse the high index of suspicion required to diagnose and manage this life-threatening complication.

scholarly journals Nephrotic Syndrome as a Cause of Transient Clinical Hypothyroidism

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Vânia Benido Silva ◽  
Maria Teresa Pereira ◽  
Carla Leal Moreira ◽  
Sílvia Santos Monteiro ◽  
Isabel Inácio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nephrotic Syndrome ◽  
Thyroid Function ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Overt Hypothyroidism ◽  
Newly Diagnosed ◽  
Bilateral Nephrectomy ◽  
Normal Thyroid ◽  
Normal Thyroid Function ◽  
High Prevalence

Nephrotic syndrome may trigger the onset of hypothyroidism, promoting massive urinary protein losses including thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) along with their binding proteins. At an early stage, a clinical and biochemical euthyroid state is expected. However, in patients with prolonged and severe proteinuria, especially with concomitant low thyroid reserve, urinary losses of free and protein-bound thyroid hormones are sufficiently pronounced to induce a subclinical or overt hypothyroidism. Despite its high prevalence in clinical practice, the literature lacks case reports of newly diagnosed clinical hypothyroidism due to NS in adults, making this condition under-recognized. We report a case of a 23-year-old man with previous normal thyroid function who developed overt hypothyroidism due to a severe nephrotic syndrome, requiring supplementation with levothyroxine (LT). After the patient had undergone bilateral nephrectomy, treatment with LT was discontinued and thyroid function normalized.

scholarly journals Rare case reports of ruptured ectopic pregnancy

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 5201
Author(s):  
Dhrubal Prasad Paul ◽  
Dibakar Debbarma ◽  
Ashis Kumar Rakshit
Keyword(s):  
Ectopic Pregnancy ◽  
Histopathological Examination ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Emergency Laparotomy ◽  
Blood Products ◽  
Unstable Condition ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Base Level ◽  
Partial Mole

Two patients of 30-35 years of age presented in Gynecological emergency of Agartala Government Medical College at unstable condition with the diagnosis of ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Both the cases were taken for emergency laparotomy after initial resuscitation, investigations & arrangement of blood products. In both the cases rupture were found in right side and hence right sided salpingectomy done in both the cases. Both the tubes (affected) after laparotomy were sent for histopathological examination where both the reports came to be partial mole. Ectopic hydatiform mole (either complete or partial) are rare events, among these Ectopic partial moles are rarer. Both the cases were in regular follow up & ß-HCG levels came to the base level within 6-7 wks. The 1st case became pregnant after 9 months of laparotomy.

scholarly journals Taxonomic Distribution of Neoplasia among Non-Domestic Felid Species under Managed Care

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2376
Author(s):  
Anneke Moresco ◽  
Karina Muñoz ◽  
Federico Gutiérrez ◽  
Leonardo Arias-Bernal ◽  
Enrique Yarto-Jaramillo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Basis ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
High Likelihood ◽  
Taxonomic Distribution ◽  
Taxonomic Level ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Felid Species

As evidenced by numerous case reports from zoos, neoplasia in felids is common, but most reports are limited to Panthera species in North America or Europe. In order to obtain a wider epidemiologic understanding of neoplasia distribution, necropsy records at seven facilities (USA, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Brazil) were evaluated. In contrast to others, this study population (195 cases, 16 species), included many non-Panthera felids. Overall neoplasia prevalence was 28.2% (55/195). Panthera species had a higher prevalence of neoplasia than non-Panthera species (52.5%; vs. 13.0%). Lions (66.7%), jaguars (55.0%), and tigers (31.3%) had the highest species-specific prevalence of neoplasia. Neoplasms in Panthera species were more frequently malignant than in non-Panthera (86.1% vs. 55.6%). The systems most commonly affected were the reproductive, hematolymphoid, and respiratory. The range of management conditions and more varied genetic backgrounds support a robust taxonomic pattern and suggest that the reported propensity for neoplasia in jaguars may have a genetic basis at a taxonomic level higher than species, as lions and tigers also have high prevalence. Given the high prevalence of neoplasia and high likelihood of malignancy, routine medical exams in all nondomestic felids, but Panthera species in particular, should include thorough assessments of any clinical signs of neoplasia.

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