Phytobezoar: A Rare Cause of Small Bowel Obstruction

Phytobezoar is an unusual cause of small bowel obstruction. It accounts for about 0.4%-4% of all mechanical bowel obstruction. However, the symptoms are not very different from those caused by usual aetiologies of small bowel obstruction. The commonest site of obstruction is terminal ileum. Treatment of small bowel obstruction due to Phytobezoar is surgery. Prevention includes avoidance of high fibre diet, prokinetics particularly in patients who have undergone gastric surgery. A 57-year-old male presented with symptoms and signs of small bowel obstruction. On exploratory laparotomy Phytobezoar in the ileum was found to be the cause of obstruction. Diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology.