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A case of hyperemesis in bulimia nervosa
Author(s) -
Pedrolli Carlo,
Sacchi Manuela C.,
Togni Michele,
Cereda Emanuele
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.22315
Subject(s) - bulimia nervosa , vomiting , bezoar , hyperemesis gravidarum , medicine , crying , gerd , eating disorders , pediatrics , psychiatry , psychology , surgery , reflux , disease
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder defined by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors, primarily self‐induced vomiting. Most common complications are due to purge behaviors and are frequently responsible for hospitalization. These include electrolyte disturbances, dehydration, hypovolemia, stomatitis, esophageal diseases, and functional impairment of the colon. However, an obstruction‐like syndrome has never been reported. We report the case of a middle‐age woman suffering from bulimia nervosa and referring at the emergency department with a 7‐day story of hyperemesis responsible for an acute renal failure. During hospitalization, after the most important and common medical causes of hyperemesis were excluded, an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed. The endoscopist reported the presence of an impressive bezoar, which underwent to mechanical fragmentation and biopsy sampling, revealing it was made up exclusively of liquorice wheels. An endoscopy performed few days after showed the complete dissolution of the bezoar, and the patient was discharged without any further gastrointestinal complaint. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:446–448)