Gastrointestinal obstruction from phytobezoar in childhood: report of two cases.

This is a report of two children aged twenty seven months and six years respectively presenting with gastrointestinal obstruction from phytobezoar. In the 27-month old child, laparotomy and gastrotomy was performed to evacuate the bezoar. However, death occurred from hypokalaemia. The six-year old child had a sacro-abdomino-perineal pull through for anorectal malformation previously and the bezoar lodged just above the neoanus. Neoanal dilatation allowed removal of the bezoar and relief of the obstruction. There has been no recurrence. The literature on bezoar is briefly reviewed.