title: [Pica in psychotic patients: an unusual cause of acute abdomen].
abstract: Pica is a pathologic craving for substances not commonly regarded as foods. In this study the authors report their experience about five cases presented with an acute abdomen following foreign bodies ingestion by patients mentally handicapped. Therapeutic treatment was emergency laparatomy with postoperative morbidity of 40% and mortality of 40%. It is hoped that specific drug therapy with more aggressive surgical treatment will reduce the mortality significantly.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Semeiotica Chirurgica, Università degli Studi di Bari.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Eredità
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Polizzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martellotta
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Natale
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lorusso
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Losacco
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004630:Emergencies; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010842:Pica / Q000150:complications*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications*