Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 14, Issue 1 , Pages 49-52 , January 2007

The fatal case of a cocaine body-stuffer and a literature review – towards evidence based management

  • G.A. Norfolk

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationTel.: +44 1275 833103; fax: +44 1275 891637.

Received 15 September 2005 ,Revised 1 December 2005 ,Accepted 8 December 2005.

References 

  1. Wetli CV, Mittleman RE. The ‘body packer syndrome’ – Toxicity following ingestion of illicit drugs packaged for transportation. J Forensic Sci. 1981;26:492–500
  2. Roberts JR, Price D, Goldfrank L, Hartnett L. The body stuffer syndrome: a clandestine form of drug overdose. Am J Emerg Med. 1986;4:24–27
  3. Fineschi V, Centini F, Monciotti F, Turillazzi E. The cocaine “body stuffer” syndrome: a fatal case. Forensic Sci Int. 2002;126:1–7
  4. Brody SL, Slovis CM, Wrenn KD. Cocaine-related medical problems: consecutive series of 233 patients. Am J Med. 1990;88:325–331
  5. Malbrain MLNG, Neels H, Vissers K, et al. A massive, near-fatal cocaine intoxication in a body-stuffer. Acta Clinica Belg. 1994;49:12–18
  6. Püschel K, Stein S, Stobbe S, Heinemann A. Analysis of 683 drug packages seized from “body stuffers”. Forensic Sci Int. 2004;140:109–111
  7. Pollack CV, Biggers DW, Carlton FB, et al. Two crack cocaine body stuffers. Ann Emerg Med. 1992;21:1370–1380
  8. Derlet RW, Albertson TE. Emergency department presentation of cocaine intoxication. Ann Emerg Med. 1989;18:182–186
  9. Hassan TB, Pickett JA, Durham S, Barker P. Diagnostic indicators in the early recognition of severe cocaine intoxication. J Accid Emerg Med. 1996;13:261–263
  10. June R, Aks SE, Keys N, Wahl M. Medical outcome of cocaine bodystuffers. J Emerg Med. 2000;18(2):221–224
  11. Sporer KA, Firestone J. Clinical course of crack cocaine body stuffers. Ann Emerg Med. 1997;29(5):596–601
  12. Nordt SP, Fuchs MA. Clinical course of crack cocaine body stuffers. Ann Emerg Med. 1997;30(5):714
  13. Aks SE, Vander Hoek TL, Hryhorczuk DO, Negrusz A, Tebbett I. Cocaine liberation from body packets in an in vitro model. Ann Emerg Med. 1992;21:1321–1325

PII: S1353-1131(05)00214-2

doi: 10.1016/j.jcfm.2005.12.002

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 14, Issue 1 , Pages 49-52 , January 2007

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