title: Gastrointestinal bezoars: a retrospective analysis of 34 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bezoars (BZ) are the most common foreign bodies of gastrointestinal tract. Clinical manifestations vary depending on the location of BZ from no symptoms to acute abdominal syndrome. When located in small bowel, they frequently cause small bowel obstruction (SBO). We aimed to present our experience by reviewing literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four patients with gastrointestinal BZ were presented. The data were collected from hospital records and analyzed retrospectively. Morbidity and mortality rates were statistically analyzed between the subgroups according to SBO and endoscopic or surgical treatment modalities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 34 patients had phytobezoars (PBZ). Two patients with mental retardation and trichotillomania had trichobezoars (TBZ). More than half of them (55.88%) had previous gastric surgery. Also most of them had small bowel bezoars resulting in obstruction. Surgical and endoscopic morbidity rates were 32.14% and 14.28% respectively. The total morbidity rate of this study was 29.41%. Four patients in surgically treated group died. There was no death in endoscopically treated group. The total and surgical mortality rates were 11.76% and 14.28% respectively. The differences in morbidity and mortality rates between the subgroups were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BZ are commonly seen in stomach and small intestine. SBO is the most common complication. When uncomplicated, endoscopic or surgical removal can be applied easily.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical School, Ondokuzmayis University, 55139 Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey. kerzurum@omu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Kenan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Erzurumlu
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Malazgirt
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bektas
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dervisoglu
authors.forename: Cafer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Polat
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Senyurek
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yetim
authors.forename: Kayhan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozkan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001630:Bezoars / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000401:mortality; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors