[Paediatric pharmacobezoar in vitamin overdose].

BACKGROUND

Pharmacobezoars are aggregates of undigested medications that accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract and can cause obstructive or toxic complications. In this paper, the first case is reported of a paediatric pharmacobezoar formation after a vitamin overdose. The objective of this report is to prevent the occurrence of this complication and the action to be taken.

CLINIC CASE: A 6-year-old child, 6h after ingesting 40 chewable tablets of a hydrophobic vitamin E with high capacity to form a pharmacobezoar, underwent urgent oesophagogastroscopy. A viscoelastic mass of 10×4cm was observed stretching from the cardia to the greater curvature. Seventy-five percent of the mass was removed and the remainder was fragmented, hydrated and aspirated. The patient remains asymptomatic to date.

CONCLUSIONS

An overdose of hydrophobic drugs can produce a bezoar formation therefore prompt evacuation is recommended with an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, which is a safe and effective technique in gastric bezoars.