RT Journal
A1 DENT J, III, LEVINE SI
T1 SUnflower seed bezoar presenting as diarrhea
JF American Journal of Diseases of Children
JO American Journal of Diseases of Children
YR 1989
FD June 1
VO 143
IS 6
SP 643
OP 644
DO 10.1001/archpedi.1989.02150180021009
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.1989.02150180021009
AB Sir.—Few objects in medicine are the subject of more bizarre and mythical tales than the bezoar. A bezoar is defined as food or foreign material that has undergone digestive changes in the gut. The translation of this term is "antipoison" or antidote, and the bezoar has been highly praised for its alleged magical and medicinal properties.1 Bezoars have been used to treat old age, plagues, snake bites, and evil spirits.2 Queen Elizabeth deemed them precious enough to have had a gold-framed bezoar included in her crown jewels in 1622.1In addition to being medical curiosities, bezoars have been known to cause serious health problems, including upper gastrointestinal tract ulceration and small-bowel obstruction. Bezoars are usually classified into two major groups: trichobezoars, derived from hair, and phytobezoars, derived from plant material. A third group consists of miscellaneous materials of fungal, chemical, or foreign-body origin.1Patient