Phytobezoar induced small bowel obstruction: an uncommon cause of intestinal occlusion

ABSTRACT

A case of a 42-year-old female patient with a two-days diffuse colicky abdominal pain, nausea and three episodes of vomiting is presented. Furthermore, patient complained for inability to eat for almost a week. In addition, patient had a history of subtotal gastrectomy Billroth II-type, due to gastric ulcer six years ago. There were no other known co-morbidities. Except for a distended, somewhat painful abdomen and sluggish bowel sounds, the rest clinical examination was unremarkable. Plain abdominal X-ray and ultrasound findings agreed with the clinical suspicion of sub-acute small bowel obstruction probably due to post-operative adhesions. A conservative management was decided. However, the patient after an initial clinical improvement, had a relapse of symptoms with the first feeding attempt. A followed computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a well define, oval, mass-like containing mostly air bubbles lesion, occupying for approximately six centimeters long the jejunum lumen. The diagnosis of jejunal phytobezoar was set. In accordance of computed tomography diagnosis were the intra-operative findings and the post-operative histopathology.