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Bezoar

Dr Jeremy Jones and Dr Frank Gaillard et al.

A bezoar refers to an accumulation of undigested ingested contents with the gastrointestinal tract ².

They are known to cause small bowel obstruction and sometimes CT may demonstrate the bezoar as a mass in the obstructed segment of bowel. The bezoar may be outlined by fluid in the proximally dilated small bowel, and the mass may be mottled owing to air trapped within it.

There can be several sub types depending of the predominant contents:

trichobezoar : is a bezoar formed from hair. This has also been called Rapunzel syndrome when the tail of the trichobezoar extends some distance through small bowel.
phytobezoar : are composed of nondigestible food material (e.g. cellulose) and are frequently reported in patients with impaired digestion and decreased gastric motility. Until the 18th century a gold mounted bezoar was also included in the crown jewels.
pharmacobezoar : (or medication bezoars) are mostly tablets or semi-liquid masses of drugs.
lactobezoar : Containing undigested milk curds