Gastric Bezoar Treatment by Endoscopic Fragmentation in Combination with Pepsi-Cola(®) Administration

Patient: Male, 86 Final Diagnosis: Gastric bezoar Symptoms: — Medication: Cola Clinical Procedure: Endoscopic fragmentation after gastric lavage with Pepsi-Cola Specialty: Gastroenterology and Hepatology OBJECTIVE: Unusual setting of medical care BACKGROUND: Although bezoar dissolution by Coca-Cola(®) has been described in case reports and case series, to the best of our knowledge, the usefulness of other cola products such as Pepsi-Cola(®) has never been reported in the English literature. CASE REPORT: An 86-year-old Taiwanese man was diagnosed with a gastric bezoar. Endoscopic fragmentation with a polypectomy snare was attempted twice but failed to remove the bezoar. Subsequently, 500 mL of Pepsi NEX Zero(®) was administered daily for 4 days via nasogastric tube. The bezoar was softened and successfully fragmented by the polypectomy snare and needle-knife devices on the third attempt. CONCLUSIONS: This report presents the first case of a gastric bezoar successfully treated by endoscopic fragmentation in combination with Pepsi-Cola(®) administration, suggesting the possible utility of cola beverages in bezoar treatment, regardless of product brands.