BACK
    TO
    TOP
    Print-Friendly
    Bookmarks
    bookmarks-menu

    Bezoar

    Trichobezoar; Hairball

    A bezoar is a ball of swallowed foreign material most often composed of hair or fiber. It collects in the stomach and fails to pass through the intestines.

    Causes

    Chewing on or eating hair or fuzzy materials (or indigestible materials such as plastic bags) can lead to the formation of a bezoar. The rate is very low. The risk is greater among people with an intellectual disability or emotionally disturbed children. Generally, bezoars are mostly seen in females aged 10 to 19 years.

    Symptoms

    Symptoms may include:

    Exams and Tests

    The child may have a lump in the abdomen that can be felt by the health care provider. A barium swallow x-ray will show the mass in the stomach. Sometimes, a scope is passed through the mouth (EGD or esophagogastroduodenoscopy) to directly view the bezoar in the stomach.

    Treatment

    The bezoar may need to be surgically removed, especially if it is large. In some cases, small bezoars may be removed using an EGD procedure.

    Outlook (Prognosis)

    Full recovery is expected.

    Possible Complications

    Persistent vomiting can lead to dehydration.

    When to Contact a Medical Professional

    Contact your provider if you suspect your child has a bezoar.

    Prevention

    If your child has had a hair bezoar in the past, trim the child's hair short so they cannot put the ends in the mouth. Keep indigestible materials away from a child who has a tendency to put items in the mouth.

    Be sure to remove the child's access to fuzzy or fiber-filled materials.

    Open References

    References

    Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al. Foreign bodies and bezoars. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 380.

    Pfau PR, Benson M. Foreign bodies, bezoars, and caustic ingestions. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 28.

    Review Date: 7/1/2025

    Reviewed By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

    The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
    © 1997- adam.comAll rights reserved.

     
     
     

     

     

    A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
    Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.