A gastric bezoar treated with an endoscopic urokinase injection

Kim, Dong Woo; Yun, Seung Wook; Kim, Ji Hwan; Kim, Bae Hwan; La, Sung Soo; Baik, Du San; Kim, Suk Bae

Abstract

Bezoars are collections or concretions of indigestible foreign material that accumulate and coalesce in the gastrointestinal tract. Treatment options include dissolution with enzymes, endoscopic removal or aspiration, and surgery. The outcome differs according to the treatment method. A 57-year-old man was admitted with a 1-month history of epigastric pain. On gastrofiberscopy, an approximately 2-cm deep ulcer was seen on the lesser curvature of the antrum and three huge bezoars were found. In order to remove the first one, we injected Coca-Cola into it directly. It took 20 minutes to cut up and 1 hour to remove completely. To decrease the procedure time, we changed the injection fluid to urokinase for the remaining two bezoars. It took 9 and 10 minutes to cut up the second and third bezoars, respectively, and 1 hour to remove them completely. We report a case of phytobezoars treated successfully by endoscopic injections of Coca-Cola and urokinase.