Mushroom Bezoar Causing Small Bowel Obstruction

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Case Reports

Background:

• Bezoars are indigestible concretions in the alimentary canal, often causing gastric or intestinal obstruction.
• Small bowel obstruction due to bezoars is uncommon, particularly in individuals without a history of gastrointestinal surgery or illness.

Observation:

• A 62-year-old patient with no prior medical history or gastric surgery presented with small bowel obstruction.
• Diagnostic challenges arise from a lack of patient history and difficulty correlating preceding events with obstruction.

Findings:

• A large, undigested mushroom measuring 5 x 3 cm was identified as the cause of the obstruction.
• Surgical enterotomy successfully removed the mushroom bezoar.

Implications:

• This case highlights the possibility of bezoar formation from unusual materials like mushrooms in healthy individuals.
• It underscores the importance of considering bezoars in the differential diagnosis of small bowel obstruction, even in the absence of typical risk factors.