Acute Intestinal Obstruction Due to Cordia Dichotoma Fruit Bezoar: A Case Report

Abstract

In southern China and Taiwan, the fruit of cordia dichotoma is commonly used in cooking and is especially popular in the elderly and vegetarians, who are at high risk of developing a gastrointestinal bezoar. This report describes an elderly vegetarian who presented at our emergency department with persistent abdominal pain. An emergency laparotomy showed an acute intestinal obstruction caused by a bezoar of cordia dichotoma fruit. We concluded that if elderly vegetarians develop an acute intestinal obstruction, bezoars caused by vegetables should be taken into consideration. When conservative treatment fails, a laparotomy needs to be performed to remove the bezoar.