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

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.