An unusual case of phytobezoar causing gastric outlet obstruction

• Main Authors: Aditi Shivcharan Agrawal, Tuhina Mishra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2021-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU
• Subjects: bezoars; gastric bezoar; gastric outlet obstruction; phytobezoars; management
• Online Access: http://www.ijournalhs.org/article.asp?issn=2542-6214;year=2021;volume=14;issue=2;spage=282;epage=283;aulast=Agrawal

A bezoar is defined as the accumulation of certain indigestible or poorly digestible substances in the gastrointestinal tract in the form of a mass, and when the bezoars consist of fruits and vegetables fibers, they are labeled as “phytobezoar.” Bezoars in the stomach are a rare condition and are often associated with episodes of gastric dysmotility and prior gastric surgery, though sometimes they can present without any significant history. Phytobezoars are difficult to diagnose due to its overlapping signs and episodic nature. however, in medical literature, the information about phytobezoars is insufficient due to the limited amount of documented cases, as well as the lack of research about this topic. in this case report, we present a rare case of gastric outlet obstruction with signs and symptoms overlapping with gastric carcinoma. On further investigation, the obstruction was found to be due to ingestion of unidentified type of vegetable fibers causing food impaction and phytobezoar formation for a 72-year-old patient with no former history of any type of surgeries.