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Endoscopy 1999; 31(5): 386-388
DOI: 10.1055/s-1999-24
Short Communication
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ·New York

Nonoperative Treatment of Gastric Bezoars Using Electrohydraulic Lithotripsy

 J.-Y. Kuo1 ,  L.-R. Mo1 ,  C.-C. Tsai2 ,  C. Y. Chou3 ,  R.-C. Lin1 ,  K.-K. Chang1
  • 1 Dept. of Internal Medicine, Tainan Municipal Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
  • 2 Dept. of Radiology, Tainan Municipal Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
  • 3 Dept. of Pathology, Tainan Municipal Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
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Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 1999 (online)

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Introduction

Bezoars are collections of indigestible material in the stomach, which can be classified into four broad categories: a) phytobezoars, consisting of fruit and vegetable fibers; b) trichobezoars, or hairballs, usually found in young female psychiatric patients; c) medication bezoars, consisting of tablets or semi-liquid masses of drugs, and d) miscellaneous materials such as sand, pica, or stones [[1]]. Over the past 35 years, the treatment of gastric bezoars has evolved from surgical exstirpation to nonsurgical interventions such as nasogastric suctioning, dietary changes or enzymatic dissolution [[2]]. Up to the present, electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) has been a well established method for the treatment of urinary and hepatobiliary stones [[3] [4]]. This paper describes our attempt to extend the application of this modality to the treatment of gastric bezoars.

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J.-Y. KuoM.D. 

Dept. of Internal Medicine

Tainan Municipal Hospital

670 Chung Te Road

Tainan, Taiwan

Phone: + 886-6-2606351