title: Small bowel phytobezoar mimicking presentation of Crohn's disease.
abstract: A case of small bowel phytobezoar formed from unusual ingested vegetation is described. The patient presented with recurrent subacute obstruction and a right iliac fossa mass mimicking the presentation of Crohn's disease. None of the usual gastrointestinal disorders that predispose to bezoar formation were present. The phytobezoar passed spontaneously following small bowel enema and colonoscopy. It is possible that relaxation of the gut secondary to the antispasmodics administered at investigation or the physical disturbance during these procedures enabled migration through the ileocecal valve. Antispasmodics may be of use in the conservative management of bezoars obstructing otherwise normal bowel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Hospital of South Manchester, U.K.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prior
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Whorwell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001630:Bezoars / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007077:Ileal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male