Sunflower rectal bezoar presenting with an acute abdomen in a 3-year-old child.

ABSTRACT

This is a case of a 3-year-old boy with a sunflower-seed rectal bezoar who presented to our emergency department with fever, abdominal pain, leukocytosis, vomiting, and an examination concerning for appendicitis. A failed diagnostic imaging attempt ultimately led to the diagnosis. Children with rectal bezoars typically present with diarrhea, rectal pain, and tenesmus. Our patient presented atypically and developed significant colitis secondary to the bezoar. We discuss bezoars and the uncommon rectal seed bezoar. This case illustrates an atypical complication (colitis) of an unusual condition (rectal bezoar) mimicking a relatively common illness (appendicitis).