Oesophageal bezoar as a complication of enteral nutrition in critically ill patients. Two case studies

Abstract

Enteral nutrition has a relatively low incidence of major complications. The most common complications are mechanical problems, bronchoaspiration and diarrhoea. A rare complication associated with the use of enteral nutrition is oesophageal bezoar. A bezoar is a body of undigested and partially digested matter in the gastrointestinal tract. The main risks factors are gastric motility dysfunction and the use of opiates or sucralfate. The aim of this paper was to present two cases of oesophageal obstruction resulting from the formation of bezoars due to enteral nutrition. Both patients experienced prolonged stays in the intensive care unit and were receiving enteral nutrition, and both cases involved an obstruction of the nasogastric tube and the regurgitation of solid chunks of enteral nutrition through the mouth and the nose. Impactions of solidified enteral nutrition in the distal parts of the oesophagus were confirmed with gastroscopies. Enzymatic complexes containing papain, cellulose, pancreatin, pepsin and diastase were used to successfully dissolve the bezoars in both cases.

Keywords: Bezoars; Critical care; Enteral nutrition; Gastrointestinal; Intubation.