Two Cases Who Have Stomach Tube Bezoar after Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

Shuichi Tanabe, Shukichi Miyazaki, Shuichi Oohara^*, Kou Sugawara, Go Miyata and Susumu Satomi

Division of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Graduated School of Medicine, Tohoku University,
^*Department of Gastroenterology, Division of Internal Medicine,
Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine

Although formation of a bezoar in the remnant stomach is not a rare complication after gastrectomy, we know of no report of a bezoar in a stomach tube after esophagectomy. Of our 2 cases, was complicated with a hemorrhagic gastric ulcer and the other with cancer of the stomach tube. A 55-year-old man who had undergone esophagectomy for esophageal cancer 6 years early reported epigastralgia and tarry stool in November 2000 and was hospitalized to treat digestive tract bleeding. A bezoar was found in his stomach tube with a gastric ulcer by gastrofiberscopy. The bezoar was removed by snare forceps. A 56-year-old man who had undergone esophagectomy for esophageal cancer 4 years earlier reported discomfort after a meal and a bezoar and stenotic pylorus were detected by barium esophagogastrography in September 1989. Further examination showed cancer of the stomach tube. He was diagnosed with peritonitis carcinomatosa at laparotomy. Bezoars of the stomach tube were accompained by a hemorrhagic gastric ulcer and cancer of the stomach tube in our patients, So it is important to take into consideration possible hidden conditions contributing to the formation of a bezoar in the stomach tube.

Key words
stomach tube bezoar, esophagectomy, cancer of the stomach tube

Reprint requests
Shuichi Tanabe Graduate school of Medicine, Tohoku University 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku Sendai, 980-8574 JAPAN

Accepted
March 26, 2003

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