title: Migration of gastric bezoars leading to secondary ileus.
abstract: Bezoars are concretions of foreign matter in the gastrointestinal tract which may cause nonspecific symptoms, including epigastric discomfort, early satiety, and constipation, and rarely gastrointestinal obstruction. We report a case in which the migration of bezoars led to secondary gastrointestinal obstruction. With endoscopy manipulation and chemical dissolution, such as with Coca-Cola, to disintegrate the gastric bezoars, the possibility that fragmented residuals may coalesce in the small intestine causing ileus should be considered when a patient presents with abdominal obstruction symptoms after these procedures. In this condition, abdominal plain film X-ray and computer tomography play important roles in timely diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsuan-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Heng-Cheng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D001630:Bezoars / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002253:Carbonated Beverages; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D045823:Ileus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D013270:Stomach / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome