title: Clinical outcomes associated with treatment modalities for gastrointestinal bezoars.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With technical and instrumental advances, the endoscopic removal of bezoars is now more common than conventional surgical removal. We investigated the clinical outcomes in a patient cohort with gastrointestinal bezoars removed using different treatment modalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between June 1989 and March 2012, 93 patients with gastrointestinal bezoars underwent endoscopic or surgical procedures at the Asan Medical Center. These patients were divided into endoscopic (n=39) and surgical (n=54) treatment groups in accordance with the initial treatment modality. The clinical feature and outcomes of these two groups were analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up period was 13 months (interquartile range [IQR], 0 to 77 months) in 93 patients with a median age of 60 years (IQR, 50 to 73 years). Among the initial symptoms, abdominal pain was the most common chief complaint (72.1%). The bezoars were commonly located in the stomach (82.1%) in the endoscopic treatment group and in the small bowel (66.7%) in the surgical treatment group. The success rates of endoscopic and surgical treatment were 89.7% and 98.1%, and the complication rates were 12.8% and 33.3%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endoscopic removal of a gastrointestinal bezoar is an effective treatment modality; however, surgical removal is needed in some cases.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: So-Eun
authors: SE
authors: Park
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Ji Yong
authors: JY
authors: Ahn
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Hwoon-Yong
authors: HY
authors: Jung
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Shin
authors: S
authors: Na
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Se Jeong
authors: SJ
authors: Park
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Hyun
authors: H
authors: Lim
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Kwi-Sook
authors: KS
authors: Choi
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jeong Hoon
authors: JH
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Do Hoon
authors: DH
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Kee Don
authors: KD
authors: Choi
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Ho June
authors: HJ
authors: Song
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Gin Hyug
authors: GH
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Asan Digestive Disease Institute, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jin-Ho
authors: JH
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000368:Aged; D001630:Bezoars / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Bezoars; Endoscopy; Surgery