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A fatal case of cannabis body-packing: About an autopsy case report. 2020

Sarra Ben Abderrahim, and Meriem Gharbaoui, and Mohamed Amine Zaara, and Hana Harzallah, and Mohamed Allouche
Department of Forensic Medicine, Charles Nicolle University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.

The body packing represents an illegal drug trafficking practice across the borders of certain countries. It has experienced enormous growth in recent years. The medical literature is rich in publications interested in body packaging of cocaine or heroin with sometimes lethal consequences. However, reported cases of cannabis body packing appear to be rare, sometimes underestimated, despite the notoriety of cannabis in the illegal drug market and its wide consumption around the world. We report in this work a forensic case of a cannabis body packer deceased due toa stercoral peritonitis secondary to a double perforation of thesigmoid and rectal colon.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007416 Intestinal Perforation Opening or penetration through the wall of the INTESTINES. Intestinal Perforations,Perforation, Intestinal,Perforations, Intestinal
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D010538 Peritonitis INFLAMMATION of the PERITONEUM lining the ABDOMINAL CAVITY as the result of infectious, autoimmune, or chemical processes. Primary peritonitis is due to infection of the PERITONEAL CAVITY via hematogenous or lymphatic spread and without intra-abdominal source. Secondary peritonitis arises from the ABDOMINAL CAVITY itself through RUPTURE or ABSCESS of intra-abdominal organs. Primary Peritonitis,Secondary Peritonitis,Peritonitis, Primary,Peritonitis, Secondary
D012007 Rectum The distal segment of the LARGE INTESTINE, between the SIGMOID COLON and the ANAL CANAL. Rectums
D002188 Cannabis The plant genus in the Cannabaceae plant family, Urticales order, Hamamelidae subclass. The flowering tops are called many slang terms including pot, marijuana, hashish, bhang, and ganja. The stem is an important source of hemp fiber. Bhang,Ganja,Hashish,Hemp,Cannabis indica,Cannabis sativa,Hemp Plant,Marihuana,Marijuana,Bhangs,Cannabi,Ganjas,Hashishs,Hemp Plants,Hemps,Plant, Hemp,Plants, Hemp
D005547 Foreign Bodies Inanimate objects that become enclosed in the body. Foreign Objects,Gossypiboma,Retained Surgical Instruments,Retained Surgical Items,Retained Surgical Needle,Retained Surgical Sponge,Retained Surgical Tools,Textiloma,Bodies, Foreign,Body, Foreign,Foreign Body,Foreign Object,Gossypibomas,Object, Foreign,Objects, Foreign,Retained Surgical Instrument,Retained Surgical Item,Retained Surgical Needles,Retained Surgical Sponges,Retained Surgical Tool,Surgical Instrument, Retained,Surgical Instruments, Retained,Surgical Item, Retained,Surgical Items, Retained,Surgical Needle, Retained,Surgical Needles, Retained,Surgical Sponge, Retained,Surgical Sponges, Retained,Surgical Tool, Retained,Surgical Tools, Retained,Textilomas
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000075066 Body Packing Concealing of drugs within the gastrointestinal tract or other body orifice for purposes of DRUG SMUGGLING or to avoid detection by law enforcement. Contraband other than drugs is also sometimes smuggled this way. Body Packers,Body Pushers,Body Pushing,Body Stuffers,Body Stuffing,Drug Mules,Body Packer,Body Pusher,Body Stuffer,Drug Mule,Mule, Drug,Mules, Drug,Packer, Body,Packers, Body,Packing, Body,Pusher, Body,Pushers, Body,Pushing, Body,Stuffer, Body,Stuffers, Body,Stuffing, Body
D012809 Colon, Sigmoid A segment of the COLON between the RECTUM and the descending colon. Sigmoid,Sigmoid Colon

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