# Duodenal Phytobezoar Treated With Endoscopic Removal: A Case Report

## TL;DR

A 47-year-old man with a rare case of duodenal blockage caused by a vegetable mass was successfully treated with endoscopic removal and dietary changes.

## Contribution

This case report highlights an uncommon cause and location of gastric outlet obstruction treated via endoscopy.

## Key findings

- A phytobezoar in the duodenum caused gastric outlet obstruction in a 47-year-old male.
- Endoscopic removal resolved the obstruction and symptoms.
- Dietary modification was recommended to prevent recurrence.

## Abstract

Gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) is a blockage within the proximal gastrointestinal tract that most commonly occurs within the stomach. GOO can present with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, upper abdominal pain, early satiety, weight loss, or abdominal distention with a succussion splash. Diagnosis is most evident with an abdominal X-ray showing dilation proximal to the obstruction and air-fluid levels, but other visualization techniques like abdominal CT and upper endoscopy may be useful in the diagnosis depending on the underlying cause. This clinical condition has multiple causes, with malignancy being the most prominent; however, rare cases like gastrointestinal bezoars may occur in the setting of altered gastric motility. We present a case of a 47-year-old male with GOO caused by a phytobezoar, a mass of undigested vegetable material, in an uncommon location, the duodenum. Upon endoscopic removal of the bezoar, the patient had a resolution of symptoms, and he was instructed to modify his dietary habits, the underlying cause of the obstruction.