Laparoscopic Treatment of Bezoar-induced Small Bowel Obstruction: Report of a Case

Treatment of bezoar-induced intestinal obstruction is usually performed by an open approach, with either digital fragmentation or removal of the bezoar via enterotomy. Laparoscopy is gaining increased acceptance for diagnosis and treatment of selected cases of small bowel obstruction. We describe a 77-year-old male patient with small bowel obstruction, and the cause of intestinal obstruction was proved by diagnostic laparoscopy to be a bezoar, which was fragmented and milked into the colon smoothly with laparoscopic instruments. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged from the hospital 4 days later after the procedure. A review of the literature shows that laparoscopic management is an alternative to conventional surgery, either by a totally laparoscopic approach or a laparoscopic-assisted procedure. Minimally invasive surgery is not only an excellent diagnostic tool for bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction, but also in some selected cases, a choice of treatment.