Bezoars are foreign bodies that form masses in the gastric or intestinal lumen, particularly in mentally retarded or psychiatric patients. Classifications of bezoars are made according to the content of the bezoar, such as trichobezoars (of hairs), phytobezoars (of vegetable fibers), lactobezoars (of milk products), and others containing medications or other foreign materials. Whatever the etio...

A trichobezoar may be confined to the stomach or unusually it may extend from stomach to the small intestine or beyond when it is labelled as Rapunzel syndrome. Bezoars are concretions in the gastrointestinal tract that increase in size by continuous accumulation of non-absorbable food or fibre. Most bezoars in children are trichobezoars from swallowed hair. Repunzal syndrome is an uncommon con...

Pica is an abnormal eating behavior in which patients persistently eat non-food materials, which can lead to health consequences. A man presented complaining of several months of back pain and constipation without vomiting, abdominal pain, or distension. He experienced increasing social isolation and emotional lability over 5 years. Radiological findings confirmed the diagnosis, noting multiple...

Aspergillosis is primarily a pulmonary disease so that renal aspergillosis is usually secondary to hematogenous spread from lungs. Primary renal aspergillosis, though a rare entity, is still seen in immuno-compromised individuals. Renal aspergillosis may lead to formation of focal abscesses, fungal bezoars and may cause ureteric obstruction. Treatment involves stabilization of patient and remov...

BACKGROUND Standard treatment of large gastric bezoars not amenable to medical or endoscopic management is surgical removal. The optimal operative approach, laparotomy versus laparoscopy, is a contested subject. Though laparoscopic removal has been described, it remains a relatively new technique for surgical management with outcome literature limited to case reports. In addition, currently des...

Primary small bowel bezoars are rare and cause acute abdomen due to small bowel obstruction (SBO). A 69-year-old Japanese man presented with epigastric pain associated with fullness. Physical examination of the abdomen showed no marked signs of peritoneal irritation. An erect X-ray film of the abdomen showed small bowel obstruction. Computed tomography (CT) showed a dilated small bowel loop pro...

An unusual form of bezoar extending from the stomach to the small intestine or beyond has been described as Rapunzel syndrome. Bezoars are concretions in the gastrointestinal tract that increase in size by continuous accumulation of non-absorbable food or fibers. Most bezoars in children are trichobezoars from swallowed hair from the head, dolls, or brushes. Trichobezoars typically cause abdomi...