title: Gastric trichobezoar associated with perforated peptic ulcer and Candida glabrata infection.
abstract: Bezoars are accumulations of human or plant fiber located in the gastrointestinal tract of both humans and animals. Patients remain asymptomatic for several years, and the symptoms develop as these accumulations increase in size to the point of obstruction or perforation. We report the case of a 21-year-old patient at 10 d postpartum, who presented with acute abdomen associated with sepsis. Given the urgency of the clinical picture, at no point was the presence of a giant bezoar at gastric level suspected, specifically a trichobezoar. The emergency abdominal and pelvic ultrasound revealed only unspecific signs of perforated hollow viscus. Diagnosis was therefore made intraoperatively. A complete gastric trichobezoar was found with gastric perforation and secondary peritonitis. The peritoneal fluid culture revealed Candida glabrata.
authors.affiliation: Héctor Losada Morales, Cirugía Hepato-pancreática y Biliar, Departamento de Cirugía, Clínica Alemana de Temuco, Temuco 4810297, Chile.
authors.forename: Héctor Losada
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.affiliation: Héctor Losada Morales, Cirugía Hepato-pancreática y Biliar, Departamento de Cirugía, Clínica Alemana de Temuco, Temuco 4810297, Chile.
authors.forename: Cecilia Huenchullán
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Catalán
authors.affiliation: Héctor Losada Morales, Cirugía Hepato-pancreática y Biliar, Departamento de Cirugía, Clínica Alemana de Temuco, Temuco 4810297, Chile.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Arriagada
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Demetrio
authors.affiliation: Héctor Losada Morales, Cirugía Hepato-pancreática y Biliar, Departamento de Cirugía, Clínica Alemana de Temuco, Temuco 4810297, Chile.
authors.forename: Macarena Espinoza
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rivas
authors.affiliation: Héctor Losada Morales, Cirugía Hepato-pancreática y Biliar, Departamento de Cirugía, Clínica Alemana de Temuco, Temuco 4810297, Chile.
authors.forename: Natalia Castagnoli
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Parraguez
authors.affiliation: Héctor Losada Morales, Cirugía Hepato-pancreática y Biliar, Departamento de Cirugía, Clínica Alemana de Temuco, Temuco 4810297, Chile.
authors.forename: Martín Alanis
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Alvarez
keywords: Acute abdomen; Bezoar; Postpartum period