Bowel obstruction in body-packing: A case report and literature review

The body packer swallows or embeds drugs in body cavities in a purposeful way. Packets usually contain of opium, cocaine, cannabis and amphetamines. The significant complications of body packing usually are symptoms of drug toxicity due to leaking or ruptured packets or symptoms of ingesting relatively large foreign bodies. Herein, we present a case of heroin body-packing that resulted in subsequent bowel obstruction. A 30-year-old male, who was brought from the prison to the emergency department, complained of abdominal pain. After the absence of intoxication symptoms and insignificant plain abdominal radiograph results, abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed the presence of ingested packets in the stomach as well as in the patient's small intestine. Therefore, the decision of surgery was immediately made for the patient, and during the surgery, the drug packets were entirely removed. The patient was discharged in good general condition three days after his surgery. Body packers are in considerable risk as rupture of packet inside the body and risk of obstruction that both of them may be fatal. Patients should be monitored for complications, possible early treatment, and removal or assistance in expulsion drug packets from the body. Initially on plain abdominal radiographs, classic findings suggest the presence of drug packets. In case of an inconclusive plain abdominal radiograph, further investigation with CT is indicated, with an almost 100 % sensitivity. For symptomatic patients, bowel obstruction and acute drug toxicity are the two most common indications for surgical intervention. •Body packing is an often neglected cause of mechanical bowel obstruction.•Patients with body packer syndrome initially present with insidious symptoms.•In cases with high suspicion, objective clinical and imaging data should be prioritized.