A giant trichobezoar extracted by laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS)

A rare presentation of gastric phytobezoar: Simultaneous bleeding and perforation. combined laparoscopic and endoscopic approach. Report of a case

INTRODUCTION

Bezoars are intraluminal conglomerates of indigestible foreign materials that accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract. We describe our experience with a patient with gastric perforation and concomitant gastric haemorrhage with severe anaemia, in whom we successfully extracted a giant gastric phytobezoar by cooperative laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 68-year-old man was admitted with melena and septic shock. CT scan revealed a gastric perforation. We performed a combined laparoscopic and endoscopic approach with gastrotomy, removal of the phytobezoar and laparoscopic gastric suture. The suture was examined for leakage with the endoscopic hydropneumatic test to obtain direct vision of the suture and no evidence of leakage by insufflation of the area.

DISCUSSION

Gastric bezoars can be managed conservatively, endoscopically or surgically. Endoscopic removal, if effective, would be an attractive alternative for bezoar treatment. Usually endoscopic attempts are unsuccessful because of the large size of the bezoar and the difficulty in fragmentation. The laparoscopic approach for bezoar seems to have better postoperative outcomes. The main criticisms of the technique are abdominal spillage with risk of contamination as well as longer operative times.

CONCLUSION

In our case we simultaneously performed laparoscopic surgery and endoscopic operative procedure in accordance with the principles of laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery to treat the gastric bezoar in order to overcome the limits of a single technique.

Laparoscopic treatment for multiple huge diospyrobezoars in the stomach

We report a case of a patient with multiple diospyrobezoars, a phytobezoar attributed to persimmons (Diospyros kaki) consumption, in the stomach, who was treated with laparoscopic complete surgical excision. A 76-year-old man with gastric phytobezoars presented to our hospital. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed three well-defined, oval, nonhomogeneous masses with a mottled appearance in the stomach. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed three large brown solid phytobezoars and gastric ulcers at the gastric angle. The clinical diagnosis was diospyrobezoar, and, due to the huge masses, the patient eventually underwent laparoscopic treatment when the medical and endoscopic approaches were unsuccessful. After gastrotomy in the anterior wall of the stomach, the phytobezoar was mobile inside the stomach, which was opened beside the gastric incision. The three phytobezoars were removed through the wound protector using sponge-holding forceps; the hole in the gastrotomy was closed in the mucosal and seromuscular layers with an intracorporeal suture technique. The weight and size of the phytobezoars were 140 g and 115 × 55 × 50 mm, 70 g and 55 × 45 × 35 mm, and 60 g and 50 × 40 × 35 mm, respectively. The patient was discharged on the 8th postoperative day without any complications. Laparoscopic surgery to extract bezoar is the treatment of choice for this rare entity, because it is a safe and effective approach.

Pathophysiological and clinical aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of bezoars

Bezoars are intraluminal conglomerates of indigestible foreign materials that accumulate in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. They consist of vegetable or fruit fibers, hairs or other substances; accordingly, bezoars are classified as phytobezoars, trichobezoars, pharmacobezoars, etc. Although sometimes asymptomatic, bezoars may cause serious symptoms, such as abdominal discomfort or pain, dysphagia, hematemesis, or even life-threatening entities (GI bleeding, obstruction or perforation). Current technological applications have contributed to the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to these masses, mainly through endoscopic techniques able to diagnose, fragment and extract bezoars, as well as laparoscopic and other surgical modalities that may be used to treat serious complications. Although bezoars were described centuries ago and the term was officially introduced in the mid nineties by Quain, they are still a demanding pathological entity. Their pathophysiology, accurate and prompt diagnosis, as well as successful and minimally invasive treatment, remain under investigation and see continuous progress. Current advances in these challenging areas are discussed in this review, which attempts to present an in-depth study of bezoars along with the well-established modalities and techniques.