Bezoars: An unusual cause of intestinal obstruction in children

• Main Authors: Hemonta KR Dutta (Author), Mauchumi Baruah (Author), Debasish Borbora (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Archives of Clinical Gastroenterology - Peertechz Publications, 2021-06-11.
• Subjects: Research Article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

<p>Intestinal obstruction in children are mostly caused by congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract. Ingested foreign bodies can cause GI disturbance including obstruction. Bezoars are concretions of human or vegetable fibers that accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract. The most common type of bezoar in human is the trichobezoar, which is mostly made of hair, followed by bezoars made of vegetable or fruit fiber (phytobezoars), milk curd (lactobezoars), or any indigestible material. Intestinal obstruction due to bezoars is an uncommon cause of intestinal obstruction among children and adolescents. We present seven cases of intestinal obstruction in children and young adults caused by bezoars between 2012 and 2019. The age ranged from 11 months to 16 years. There were four females to three males. One adolescent girl had trichobezoars, another had tricho-phytobezoars, three had phytobezoars and two had lactobezoars. The presentations were epigastric discomfort, nausea, intestinal obstruction, chronic malnutrition, recurrent vomiting and abdominal distension. One adolescent girl with Rapunzel syndrome, required psychiatric treatment following removal of the trichobezoar. All the children except one required surgery. A child with lactobezoar improved with conservative treatment and passed the bezoar after enema. All the operated patients had uneventful recovery. The mean follow up was 83.5 months. </p>