Trapped In Transit – A Case Report of a Pediatric Gastric Bezoar Causing Intermittent Small Bowel Obstruction

doi:https://doi.org/10.5070/M5.52259

Trapped In Transit – A Case Report of a Pediatric Gastric Bezoar Causing Intermittent Small Bowel Obstruction

Jonah A Frueh, MD^*, Arinzechukwu M Obegolu, MD^{^}, Anil G Rao, MD^†and Amanda E Mulcrone, MD^**

^*Advocate Christ Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Oak Lawn, IL

^{^}Advocate Christ Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Oak Lawn, IL

^†Advocate Christ Medical Center, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Park Ridge, IL

^**Advocate Christ Medical Center, Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Park Ridge, IL

Correspondence should be addressed to Jonah A Frueh, MD at jonah.frueh@aah.org

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5070/M5.52259Issue 11:2

Visual EM Abdominal/Gastroenterology Current Issue

[mrp_rating_result]

Trapped in Transit Bezoar in Gastric Fundus. CT Axial. Unnnotated. JETem 2026

Trapped in Transit Dilated Loops of Small Bowel LUQ. CT Sagital. Unannotated. JETem 2026

Trapped in Transit Dilated Small Bowel Distal to Bezoar. CT Axial. Unannotated. JETem 2026

Trapped in Transit Lead Point of SBO. CT Coronal. Unannotated. JETem 2026

Trapped In Transit. Complete Gastric Bezoar. JETem 2026

Trapped In Transit. Intra operative Removal of the Bezoar. JETem 2026

Trapped in Transit Bezoar in Gastric Fundus. CT Axial. Annotated. JETem 2026

Trapped in Transit Dilated Loops of Small Bowel LUQ. CT Sagital. Annotated. JETem 2026

Trapped in Transit Dilated Small Bowel Distal to Bezoar. CT Axial. Annotated. JETem 2026

Trapped in Transit Lead Point of SBO. CT Coronal. Annotated. JETem 2026

ABSTRACT:

A 14-year-old female patient presented to the pediatric emergency department (ED) with chief complaints of abdominal pain, vomiting, and unintentional weight loss. A palpable abdominal mass was noted on exam, prompting a computed tomography (CT) scan which revealed a gastric bezoar that had fragmented, leading to intermittent and spontaneously resolving small bowel obstruction. The patient underwent surgical removal of the bezoar for definitive management.

This report highlights a novel case of spontaneous bezoar fragmentation and its associated imaging findings. Because this phenomenon represents the description of a rare occurrence, the goal is to enhance the emergency medicine providers’ understanding of an uncommon cause of abdominal masses and small bowel obstruction (SBO).

Topics: Pediatrics, bezoar, bowel obstruction.