The Pan African Medical Journal (Aug 2015)

Huge plastic bezoar: a rare cause of gastrointestinal obstruction

  • Mbarek Yaka,
  • Abdelkader Ehirchiou,
  • Tariq Tajdin Sifeddine Alkandry,
  • Khalid Sair

DOI
https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2015.21.286.7169
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 286

Abstract

Read online

Bezoars are rare causes of gastrointestinal obstruction. Basically, they are of four types: trichobezoars, phytobezoars, pharmacobezoars, and lactobezoars. Some rare types of bezoars are also known. In this article a unique case of plastic bezoars is presented. We describe a girl aged 14 years who ingested large amounts of plastic material used for knitting chairs and charpoys. The conglomerate of plastic threads, entrapped food material and other debris, formed a huge mass occupying the whole stomach and extended into small bowel.

Keywords