Bezoars: from ancient talismans to modern disease

Bezoars are concretions of foreign materials that are created in the intestinal tract of various animals and humans. They have been known to western medicine since ancient times, when they were used for countering and preventing poisoning. In modern times bezoars were described as an unusual cause for various gastrointestinal symptoms. Trichobezoars are an infrequent form of bezoar, formed from ingested hair. We present a case of a trichobezoar, which appeared as a large abdominal mass, with gastric bleeding, ulceration and perforation. As in most previously reported cases, the diagnosis was not made on clinical grounds prior to imaging studies.