EMERGENCY CASEBOOKS
A rare cause of partial intestinal obstruction in a child: colonic lithobezoar
Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey
Correspondence to:
Assistant Professor K V Numano
lu, Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Kozlu, 67600, Zonguldak, Turkey; varimk{at}yahoo.com
The accumulation of undigested foreign bodies or nutrients in the gastrointestinal tract forming a conglomeration is called a bezoar. Bezoars are referred to according to the foreign bodies that constitute their core: phytobezoar (fibres or seeds of vegetables and fruits); trichobezoar (hair); lactobezoar (remnants of milk) and lithobezoar (rock or similar substances).
Although they can be found in any part of the gastrointestinal system, the stomach is the most common site. Primary colonic bezoar is an exceptionally rare situation. Up until 2007, only four colonic lithobezoars had been reported in the literature. This report aims to present the clinical and surgical features of a 4-year-old male patient with a previous history of pica and iron deficiency anaemia, who underwent pebble extraction from the colon after being diagnosed with partial intestinal obstruction.
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
