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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
09:10
A Protocol for Bioinspired Design: A Ground Sampler Based on Sea Urchin Jaws
Published on: April 24, 2016
[Bezoars: from ancient talismans to modern disease]
Eyal Meltzer1, Shmuel Steinlauf
1Department of Internal Medicine E, Tel Aviv-Sourasky Medical Center.
Harefuah
|March 22, 2002
Summary
Trichobezoars, rare hair concretions in the digestive tract, can cause serious gastrointestinal issues like bleeding and perforation. Diagnosis often relies on imaging rather than initial clinical presentation.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pathology
Background:
- Bezoars are foreign material concretions in the gastrointestinal tract, known since antiquity.
- Trichobezoars, a rare subtype, are formed from ingested hair.
Observation:
- A case of a large trichobezoar presenting as an abdominal mass is described.
- The patient experienced significant gastrointestinal bleeding, ulceration, and perforation.
Findings:
- Diagnosis of trichobezoar was not achieved through clinical evaluation alone.
- Imaging studies were crucial for identifying the bezoar.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering rare causes of gastrointestinal distress.
- Emphasizes the diagnostic utility of imaging in complex cases of abdominal masses.
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