Small bowel obstruction secondary to phytobezoar in a patient with myotonic dystrophy

Abstract

A male patient in his 30s, with myotonic dystrophy (DM), presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain and vomiting. CT imaging revealed a soft tissue lesion in the terminal ileum causing small bowel obstruction (SBO). The patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy which allowed identification and removal of the obstructing lesion. This was in the form of an intact, undigested potato, a phytobezoar. Bezoars are collections of undigested material found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, a phytobezoar is composed of plant material and is the most common form of bezoar. DM is a multisystem disorder characterised by skeletal muscle weakness, however it often presents with GI symptoms and the muscles of mastication are often affected. DM is a known risk factor for bezoar formation and should be considered as an important differential in DM patients presenting with SBO.