Visualization of Gastrointestinal Bezoar Movement Causing and Releasing Small Bowel Obstruction on Computed Tomography in a Patient With Diabetes Mellitus.

ABSTRACT

Although delayed gastric emptying promotes gastrointestinal bezoar formation in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), the association between movement of gastrointestinal bezoars and glycemic status remains unclear. We report a case of small bowel obstruction (SBO) caused by impaction of the migrated gastric bezoar into the small bowel in a patient with DM. Correction of hyperglycemia and lactic acidosis led to normalization of gastrointestinal motility, followed by expulsion of the impacted bezoar and resolution of SBO. This case suggests a link between hyperglycemia, metabolic acidosis, and gastrointestinal motility based on visualization of gastrointestinal bezoar movement in the gastrointestinal tract using computed tomography.