Body Packing with Cocaine: A Simulation Exercise

Abstract

Pedagogically sound simulation-based medical education (SBME) produces effective learning. We present a simulation scenario for "body packing", which is the concealment of an illicit drug in packets (usually condoms) inside the body by swallowing or recto-vaginal insertion, usually for transportation across borders. This scenario will train Emergency Medicine residents to suspect body packing under appropriate circumstances, and to treat the potential alimentary pathologies and drug toxicities which body packing with cocaine can cause.