An Unexpected Cause of Marked Weight Loss Associated with Vomiting in an Adult Man: Gastric Phytobeozar

OBJECTIVES: We present the case of an edentulous 47-year-old farmer referred to our Department of Internal Medicine because of postprandial vomiting, hyporexia, asthenia and weight loss. He ate a mostly vegetarian diet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An oesophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed the presence of a phytobezoar at the level of the fundus and body of the stomach. Endoscopic fragmentation and removal of the phytobezoar were unsuccessful and the patient had to undergo open surgery. RESULTS: Recovery was uneventful and free of complications. CONCLUSION: Phytobezoars should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of unexplained vomiting and weight loss. LEARNING POINTS: Bezoars are concretions of indigestible materials located in the gastrointestinal tract. Gastric phytobezoars may cause unexplained vomiting and weight loss even in young people. The diagnosis of phytobezoars may be complex and endoscopy is helpful in most cases.