Hair Today, OR Tomorrow: A Multicenter Case Series of Gastric Bezoars in Children Diagnosed With Point-of-Care...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Medical Imaging
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is valuable for rapid diagnosis of pediatric abdominal conditions like appendicitis and intussusception.
• Trichobezoars, foreign bodies in the stomach, can cause significant morbidity in children.
• Early diagnosis and management of trichobezoars are crucial to prevent complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a series of pediatric cases demonstrating the utility of POCUS in diagnosing trichobezoars.
• To describe the characteristic POCUS findings associated with pediatric trichobezoars.
• To emphasize the role of POCUS in guiding subsequent diagnostic and management decisions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of pediatric patients diagnosed with trichobezoars across multiple emergency departments.
• Analysis of POCUS images and reports for characteristic findings.
• Correlation of POCUS findings with clinical presentation and outcomes.

Main Results:

• POCUS identified an intragastric hyperechoic mass or a hyperechoic arch in children with trichobezoars.
• Associated posterior acoustic shadowing was a consistent POCUS finding.
• POCUS findings, in conjunction with clinical context, facilitated timely diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• POCUS is an effective tool for the initial diagnosis of pediatric trichobezoars.
• Characteristic POCUS findings, including hyperechoic masses and acoustic shadowing, are indicative of trichobezoars.
• Prompt recognition via POCUS can lead to appropriate further imaging and surgical consultation.