Zeki Özsoy, İsmail Okan

Department of General Surgery, Gaziosmanpaşa University School of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey

Abstract

Objective: A minimally invasive approach is feasible and successful for the treatment of phytobezoars. We would like to draw attention to the overconsumption of Sorbus domestica and discuss the management options of patients presenting with different symptoms due to phytobezoars.
Material and Methods: Data from patients diagnosed with phytobezoars in the Department of General Surgery from 2010 to 2016 were prospectively collected and evaluated.
Results: Twenty patients diagnosed with phytobezoars were included in the study. The etiology of phytobezoar was Sorbus domestica seeds in 12 patients, watermelon seeds in two patients, Japanese persimmon seeds in one patient, and unidentified in five patients. Fourteen patients underwent surgery, while the remaining patients were treated conservatively. Minimally invasive surgery was used in all but two cases, where the surgery was converted to laparotomy. Two patients developed postoperative morbidity. There was no mortality.
Conclusion: The treatment modality should be selected for each patient according to the presenting symptoms and characteristics of phytobezoar. In cases where surgery is performed, a minimally invasive approach is feasible and successful for the treatment of ileus.

Keywords: Phytobezoar, Sorbus domestica, minimally invasive approach, treatment

Cite this paper as: Özsoy Z, Okan İ. Treatment of phytobezoars: Tailoring management to diverse presentations. Turk J Surg 2017; 10.5152/turkjsurg.2017.3770


 

Ethics Committee Approval

Authors declared that the research was conducted according to the principles of the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki “Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects” (amended in October 2013).

Peer Review

Externally peer-reviewed.

Author Contributions

Concept - Z.Ö., İ.O.; Design - Z.Ö., İ.O.; Supervision - İ.O.; Resource - Z.Ö.; Materials - Z.Ö.; Data Collection and/or Processing - Z.Ö.; Analysis and/or Interpretation - Z.Ö., İ.O.; Literature Search - Z.Ö.; Writing Manuscript - Z.Ö.; Critical Reviews - İ.O.; Other - Z.Ö.

Conflict of Interest

No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

Financial Disclosure

The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.