A Clinical Study of Bezoars(108 cases)

Keimyung Medical Journal 1986;5(1):68-73.

Bezoar 108예에 대한 임상적 고찰

홍성권; 임태진; 박영관

Abstract

The term bezoar, believed to be derived from the Arabic badzehr or Persian padzahr("counter-poison”)，is applied to concretions of various foreign or intrinsic substances found in the stomach and intestine of both men and animals. The several varieties of bezoar includes trichobezoar(hair), phytobezoar (fruit and vegetable fibers), trichophytobezoar and concretions. This study was a review and anaysis of 108 cases of bezoars which was treated from December 1958 to December 1985. The results were as follows; 1) The range of age was between 3 and 81 with the highest incidence(21.3%) in patients aged less than 10 years of age. 2) Of the 108 patient, 68 were males and 40 were females with ratio 1.7 ： 1 3) More than half of the cases occurred in late fall or winter season: December 27.8% January 13. 9% and November 11.1% 4) The cardinal clinical manifestations were abdominal pain(41.3%), nausea and vomiting(32.4 %) and abdominal distension(9.4%). 5) The most frequent location of the bezoars was the ileum(38.9%) followed by stomach(26.7%) and the jejunum(15. 2%). 6) A preoperative diagnosis were: intestinal obstruction due to bezoar(69%), intestinal obstruction of unknown cause(18%), fecal impaction, ascariasis and intussusception. 7) The operative procedures used to removal of the bezoars in the order of frequency were； enterotomy(55.4%), gastrotomy(16.3%) and enterotomy with gastrotomy(16.3%). 8) The wound infection(12.9%) was the commonest among postoperative complications and there were 4 cases of postoperative small bowel obstruction and one each of anastomotic leakage and pleural effusion and the mortality rate was 2.8%.