Gastric bezoars are masses of indigestible material that accumulate in the stomach, causing nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Persimmon bezoars (diospyrobezoars), which comprise tannins and fibers from persimmons, are relatively rare but may cause significant gastric complications, including gastric outlet obstruction or ileus. Although computed tomography (CT) is a useful imaging tool, diagnosing bezoars can be challenging because their density is similar to that of food debris and gastric content.

Here, we report the case of a 72-year-old woman with a persimmon bezoar that was diagnosed using serial CT imaging and confirmed by endoscopy. CT performed over several months revealed changes in the internal structure and density of the bezoar, suggesting progressive hardening. The patient had a history of a partial gastrectomy and excessive persimmon consumption, both of which are risk factors for bezoar formation. Endoscopic fragmentation of the bezoar successfully resolved symptoms.

Gastric bezoars, particularly persimmon bezoars, present diagnostic challenges because of their variable imaging characteristics. Serial CT can document temporal changes in bezoar density, potentially reflecting changes in hardness. Early diagnosis and endoscopic treatment are essential for effective management, particularly in patients with predisposing factors. This case underscores the importance of considering bezoars in the differential diagnosis of gastric masses, and highlights the value of CT for monitoring changes in bezoar characteristics over time.

• Computed tomography
• Endoscopic treatment
• Gastric bezoar
• Persimmon bezoar
• Temporal changes
• Case report

• Case report
• Endoscopy
• Giant gastric phytobezoar
• Tennis ball cord

• Bezoars
• Coca-Cola
• Gastroscopy
• Lithotripsy
• Solubility

Bezoars can be found anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract. Esophageal bezoars are rare. Esophageal bezoars are classified as either primary or secondary. It is rarely reported that secondary esophageal bezoars caused by reverse migration from the stomach lead to acute esophageal obstruction. Guidelines recommend urgent upper endoscopy (within 24 h) for these impactions without complete esophageal obstruction and emergency endoscopy (within 6 h) for those with complete esophageal obstruction. Gastroscopy is regarded as the mainstay for the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal bezoars.

A 59-year-old man was hospitalized due to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea for 2 d and sudden retrosternal pain and dysphagia for 10 h. He had a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus for 9 years. Computed tomography revealed dilated lower esophagus, thickening of the esophageal wall, a mass-like lesion with a flocculent high-density shadow and gas bubbles in the esophageal lumen. On gastroscopy, immovable brown bezoars were found in the lower esophagus, which led to esophageal obstruction. Endoscopic fragmentation was successful, and there were no complications. The symptoms of retrosternal pain and dysphagia disappeared after treatment. Mucosal superficial ulcers were observed in the lower esophagus. Multiple biopsy specimens from the lower esophagus revealed nonspecific findings. The patient remained asymptomatic, and follow-up gastroscopy 1 wk after endoscopic fragmentation showed no evidence of bezoars in the esophagus or the stomach.

Acute esophageal obstruction caused by bezoars reversed migration from the stomach is rare. Endoscopic fragmentation is safe, effective and minimally invasive and should be considered as the first-line therapeutic modality.

• Esophageal bezoars
• Esophageal obstruction
• Acute
• Endoscopic fragmentation
• Case report

• bezoar
• esophagogastroduodenoscopy
• laxative
• magnesium oxide

• Aged
• Bezoars/chemically induced
• Bezoars/diagnosis
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Endoscopy, Digestive System
• Female
• Humans
• Magnesium Oxide/adverse effects
• Nausea/diagnosis
• Stomach
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Dried persimmon is a well-known dried fruit in Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and China. Small bowel obstruction caused by phytobezoar is a rare but interesting pathogenesis that accounts for 2–4% of all small bowel obstructions. We present the case of an 87-year-old female who suffered from small bowel obstruction caused by ingestion of a huge, dried astringent persimmon. She was initially treated conservatively, but removal by enterotomy was performed after relief failed to be achieved with conservative therapy.

• Dried persimmon
• Phytobezoar
• Small bowel obstruction

Bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction is a rare entity. It should be highly suspected in patients with gastric hypomotility disorders, psychiatric conditions, prior abdominal or bariatric surgery, or improper intake of medication. Their diagnosis is quite challenging and surgical exploration remains the best treatment of choice to ensure the viability of the small bowel tissue and relieve the obstruction. This is a case of a 48-year-old female with no previous abdominal surgery who presented with acute abdominal pain. The patient's history was remarkable for the daily ingestion of 1.5 teaspoons of Metamucil with minimal amount of water. Computed tomography scan demonstrated dilated small bowel loops and a transition zone at the level of the mid jejunum. On laparoscopy, the patient was found to have a hard mass in the mid jejunum amenable to gentle fragmentation and breakdown. Metamucil bezoars are due to the solidification of psyllium-based substances in the gastrointestinal tract. The usual management of small bowel obstruction induced by a bezoar is exploratory laparotomy with enterotomy and primary anastomosis. Laparoscopic intervention has gained popularity among surgeons with good outcome and lower morbidity. In this unusual case, the small bowel obstruction induced by the Metamucil bezoar was safely treated with laparoscopic fragmentation alone.

• Bezoars/complications
• Bezoars/therapy
• Carbonated Beverages
• Cola
• Diospyros
• Female
• Gastrointestinal Diseases/therapy
• Humans
• Intestinal Obstruction/etiology
• Middle Aged
• Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission

• Bezoar
• edentulism
• hyporexia
• vomiting
• weight loss

• Bezoars
• Endoscopic removal
• Gastric ulcer
• Gastrointestinal endoscopy
• Ileus
• Persimmon phytobezoar
• Trichobezoar

• Acute abdomen
• Diabetes
• Opiate abuse
• Phytobezoar
• Small bowel obstruction

• Gastric trichobezoar
• Trichobézoard gastrique
• Trichophagie
• Trichophagy

• Adult
• Anorexia/etiology
• Bezoars/complications
• Bezoars/diagnosis
• Bezoars/surgery
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Female
• Gastrectomy
• Gastroscopy/methods
• Humans
• Psychotherapy
• Stomach
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Treatment Outcome
• Vomiting/etiology

Bezoars are concretions of indigestible materials in the gastrointestinal tract. It generally develops in patients with previous gastric surgery or patients with delayed gastric emptying. Cases of periampullary duodenal divericular bezoar are rare. Clinical manifestations by a bezoar vary from no symptom to acute abdominal syndrome depending on the location of the bezoar. Biliary obstruction or acute pancreatitis caused by a bezoar has been rarely reported. Small bowel obstruction by a bezoar is also rare, but it is a complication that requires surgery. This is a case of acute pancreatitis and subsequent duodenal obstruction caused by a large duodenal bezoar migrating from a periampullary diverticulum to the duodenal lumen, which mimicked pancreatic abscess or microperforation on abdominal computerized tomography. The patient underwent surgical removal of the bezoar and recovered completely.

• Bezoar
• Diverticulum
• Pancreatitis
• Duodenal obstruction

Phytobezoar, a concretion of indigestible fibers derived from ingested vegetables and fruits, is the most common type of bezoar. Diospyrobezoar is a subtype of phytobezoar formed after excessive intake of persimmons (Diospyros kaki). We report the case of a diabetic man with a 5-day history of abdominal pain after massive ingestion of persimmons who developed signs of complicated small bowel obstruction. The patient had a previous history of Billroth II hemigastrectomy associated with truncal vagotomy to treat a chronic duodenal ulcer 14 years earlier. Since intestinal obstruction was suspected, he underwent emergency laparotomy that revealed an ileal obstruction with small bowel perforation and local peritonitis due to a phytobezoar that was impacted 15 cm above the ileocecal valve. After segmental intestinal resection, the patient had a good recovery and was discharged on the 6th postoperative day. This report provides evidence that diospyrobezoar should be considered as a possible cause of small bowel obstruction in patients who have previously undergone gastric surgery.

• Bezoars
• Diospyros kaki
• Intestinal obstruction
• Operative surgical procedure
• Persimmon

• Adult
• Body Mass Index
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Gastric Balloon
• Gastric Fundus
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Obesity, Morbid/surgery
• Patient Selection
• Prospective Studies
• Pyloric Antrum
• Quality of Life
• Satiation
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome
• Weight Loss

Bezoars are masses or concretions of indigestible materials found in the gastrointestinal tract, usually in the stomach. Case reports of childhood gastric bezoars (particularly phytobezoars) are rare. In this age group they represent a therapeutic challenge, because of the combination of hard consistency and great size. The present report concerns an 8-year-old boy with a history of high fruit intake, presenting with abdominal complaints due to a large gastric phytobezoar. Successful endoscopic fragmentation coupled with suction removal was accomplished, using a standard-channel endoscope. Although laborious, it has been shown to be an efficacious and safe procedure, completed in one session. Endoscopic techniques for pediatric bezoar management may thus be cost effective, taking into account the avoidance of surgery, the length of the hospital stay and the number of endoscopic sessions.

• Bezoar
• Children
• Endoscopic fragmentation

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of cola treatment for gastric phytobezoars, including diospyrobezoars.

METHODS: A total of 17 patients (range: 48 to 78 years) with symptomatic gastric phytobezoars treated with cola and adjuvant endoscopic therapy were reviewed. Three liters of cola lavage (10 cases) or drink (7 cases) were initially used, and then endoscopic fragmentation was done for the remnant bezoars by using a lithotripsy basket or a polypectomy snare. The overall success of dissolving a gastric phytobezoars with using three liters of cola and the clinical and endoscopic findings were compared retrospectively between four cases of complete dissolution by using only cola and 13 cases of partial dissolution with cola.

RESULTS: After 3 L of cola lavage or drinking, a complete dissolution of bezoars was achieved in four patients (23.5%), while 13 cases (76.5%) were only partially dissolved. Phytobezoars (4 of 6 cases) were observed more frequently than diospyrobezoars (0 of 11) in the group that underwent complete dissolution (P = 0.006). Gender, symptom duration, size of bezoar and method of cola administration were not significantly different between the two groups. Twelve of 13 patients with residual bezoars were completely treated with a combination of cola and endoscopic fragmentation.

CONCLUSION: The rate of complete dissolution with three liters of cola was 23.5%, but no case of diospyrobezoar was completely dissolved using this method. However, pretreatment with cola may be helpful and facilitate endoscopic fragmentation of gastric phytobezoars.

• Gastric phytobezoars
• Diospyrobezoars
• Cola
• Dissolution
• Clinical efficacy