Small bowel obstruction caused by a medication bezoar: report of a case

Surg Today. 1996;26(1):68-70. doi: 10.1007/BF00311997.

Abstract

We report herein the rare case of a 26-year-old woman who developed a small-bowel obstruction caused by a medication "bezoar" or enterolith, following the long-term ingestion of magnesium oxide cathartics for constipation. Medication bezoars resulting from laxatives or cathartics have rarely been reported and we were only able to find two other such cases in the literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdomen, Acute / etiology
  • Abdomen, Acute / surgery
  • Adult
  • Bezoars / diagnostic imaging
  • Bezoars / pathology
  • Bezoars / surgery*
  • Cathartics* / administration & dosage
  • Cathartics* / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ileal Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Ileal Diseases / pathology
  • Ileal Diseases / surgery*
  • Ileum / diagnostic imaging
  • Ileum / pathology
  • Ileum / surgery*
  • Intestinal Obstruction / diagnostic imaging
  • Intestinal Obstruction / pathology
  • Intestinal Obstruction / surgery*
  • Magnesium Oxide* / administration & dosage
  • Magnesium Oxide* / adverse effects
  • Radiography

Substances

  • Cathartics
  • Magnesium Oxide