Uncovering the Mystery of Bezoars: A Rare Stomach Condition

A concerned guardian’s eyes widened as I explained the diagnosis. “Oh, my son swallowed a rock?” he asked, shaking his head in disbelief. I clarified that the patient had a bezoar, a hardened stone-like lump in the stomach, not a rock.

Bezoars are formed when substances we swallow are not absorbed by the duodenum and accumulate in the stomach. They can occur in young children, people with intellectual disabilities, or patients with pica. Any substance can form bezoars, but the most common is hair.

In this case, it took over an hour to remove the bezoar using an endoscope and an electric cautery. The guardian was anxiously waiting for the results, and I showed him the stone fragments mixed with hair. The mother’s face brightened as she realized the cause of her son’s hair loss.

Her son, in his 20s with low intelligence, had been pulling out and swallowing his own hair due to stress, leading to partial hair loss. I understood the challenges of raising a disabled son and felt sorry for him. However, seeing the guardian’s relieved expression after the treatment was a heartwarming moment.

I made a light joke, “Since I took care of your son’s stones and hair loss at once, you have to pay double the treatment fee.” The mother nodded and left the examination room, returning with an ice cream as a token of appreciation. The ice cream tasted sweeter and more refreshing than usual, perhaps due to the relief and gratitude.

As a doctor, it’s moments like these that make my job rewarding. Helping patients and their families understand and overcome their health challenges is a privilege, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact on their lives.