Bezoars: Culprits of gastrointestinal obstruction that may lead to surgical intervention and potentially surgical complications
Key Clinical Message Bezoars can cause gastrointestinal obstruction and may require surgery. Surgery carries the risk of complications. Medical professionals should perform detailed history in diet and behaviors for patients presenting with abdominal pain to identify risk factors for bezoars, then e...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Clinical Case Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ccr3.8126 |
| _version_ | 1797372119145775104 |
|---|---|
| author | Shannon D. Powell Nicholas Pereira |
| author_facet | Shannon D. Powell Nicholas Pereira |
| author_sort | Shannon D. Powell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Key Clinical Message Bezoars can cause gastrointestinal obstruction and may require surgery. Surgery carries the risk of complications. Medical professionals should perform detailed history in diet and behaviors for patients presenting with abdominal pain to identify risk factors for bezoars, then educate these patients and their families about risks and complications of bezoars. Abstract Bezoars are solid masses of undigested material that can cause obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. There are different types of bezoars; phytobezoar, trichobezoar, pharmacobezoar, lactobezoar, and bezoars containing tissue paper or polystyrene foam. This case report is of a 13‐year‐old Hispanic male who suffered a postsurgical complication after removal of bezoar. He had a past surgical history of appendectomy and presented to the hospital with a 1‐day history of right lower quadrant abdominal pain associated with fever and diarrhea. X‐radiation images and computed tomography scans aided in the diagnosis of pelvic abscess as a complication of postsurgical enterotomy and closure of the enterotomy to remove bezoar from the small bowel. The initial bezoar removal and the postsurgical complication of pelvic abscess resulted in the patient staying for 19 days in the hospital. At discharge, the patient and his guardian were advised to follow up with the patient's primary care physician and surgical team. The patient made an uneventful recovery. He did not experience any long‐term complications and fully recovered. This report demonstrates that although bezoars are rare, they can cause significant obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract leading to the need for management, such as surgery, which carries its own risks. It is important to note that the postsurgical complication of pelvic abscess can occur due to surgery itself and not because of bezoar specifically. Abdominal surgery in general poses the risk of pelvic abscess. The consideration is to expectantly decrease the occurrence of bezoars so that consequently there will not be a need for surgery in removal of bezoars due to obstruction. The effects of bezoars can be prevented through educating the community and addressing underlying psychiatric disorders. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:31:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb531551217642bba0c565fe508e3c1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-0904 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:31:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Case Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb531551217642bba0c565fe508e3c1e2023-12-30T04:35:09ZengWileyClinical Case Reports2050-09042023-12-011112n/an/a10.1002/ccr3.8126Bezoars: Culprits of gastrointestinal obstruction that may lead to surgical intervention and potentially surgical complicationsShannon D. Powell0Nicholas Pereira1Department of Pediatrics Saint James School of Medicine Arnos Vale Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesDepartment of Pediatrics Saint James School of Medicine Arnos Vale Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesKey Clinical Message Bezoars can cause gastrointestinal obstruction and may require surgery. Surgery carries the risk of complications. Medical professionals should perform detailed history in diet and behaviors for patients presenting with abdominal pain to identify risk factors for bezoars, then educate these patients and their families about risks and complications of bezoars. Abstract Bezoars are solid masses of undigested material that can cause obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. There are different types of bezoars; phytobezoar, trichobezoar, pharmacobezoar, lactobezoar, and bezoars containing tissue paper or polystyrene foam. This case report is of a 13‐year‐old Hispanic male who suffered a postsurgical complication after removal of bezoar. He had a past surgical history of appendectomy and presented to the hospital with a 1‐day history of right lower quadrant abdominal pain associated with fever and diarrhea. X‐radiation images and computed tomography scans aided in the diagnosis of pelvic abscess as a complication of postsurgical enterotomy and closure of the enterotomy to remove bezoar from the small bowel. The initial bezoar removal and the postsurgical complication of pelvic abscess resulted in the patient staying for 19 days in the hospital. At discharge, the patient and his guardian were advised to follow up with the patient's primary care physician and surgical team. The patient made an uneventful recovery. He did not experience any long‐term complications and fully recovered. This report demonstrates that although bezoars are rare, they can cause significant obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract leading to the need for management, such as surgery, which carries its own risks. It is important to note that the postsurgical complication of pelvic abscess can occur due to surgery itself and not because of bezoar specifically. Abdominal surgery in general poses the risk of pelvic abscess. The consideration is to expectantly decrease the occurrence of bezoars so that consequently there will not be a need for surgery in removal of bezoars due to obstruction. The effects of bezoars can be prevented through educating the community and addressing underlying psychiatric disorders.https://doi.org/10.1002/ccr3.8126abdominal painbezoarsgastrointestinal tractintestinal obstruction |
| spellingShingle | Shannon D. Powell Nicholas Pereira Bezoars: Culprits of gastrointestinal obstruction that may lead to surgical intervention and potentially surgical complications Clinical Case Reports abdominal pain bezoars gastrointestinal tract intestinal obstruction |
| title | Bezoars: Culprits of gastrointestinal obstruction that may lead to surgical intervention and potentially surgical complications |
| title_full | Bezoars: Culprits of gastrointestinal obstruction that may lead to surgical intervention and potentially surgical complications |
| title_fullStr | Bezoars: Culprits of gastrointestinal obstruction that may lead to surgical intervention and potentially surgical complications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bezoars: Culprits of gastrointestinal obstruction that may lead to surgical intervention and potentially surgical complications |
| title_short | Bezoars: Culprits of gastrointestinal obstruction that may lead to surgical intervention and potentially surgical complications |
| title_sort | bezoars culprits of gastrointestinal obstruction that may lead to surgical intervention and potentially surgical complications |
| topic | abdominal pain bezoars gastrointestinal tract intestinal obstruction |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ccr3.8126 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shannondpowell bezoarsculpritsofgastrointestinalobstructionthatmayleadtosurgicalinterventionandpotentiallysurgicalcomplications AT nicholaspereira bezoarsculpritsofgastrointestinalobstructionthatmayleadtosurgicalinterventionandpotentiallysurgicalcomplications |