Incidental Detection of Foreign Body (bezoar) inside the Stomach in Fatal Poisoning Cases: Reporting of a Series of Cases with Rare and Unusual Autopsy Findings

Abstract

A bezoar is an accumulation of undigested foreign material in the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to serious,
life-threatening conditions. While bezoars are often associated with mental disorders such as pica, they are also
found in individuals without such histories. In many cultures, including rural India, bezoars are believed to possess
medicinal properties, such as the ability to neutralize poisons, including snake venom. Traditional healers, known
as “Ojha,” use bezoars as a form of treatment despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting their efficacy.
This case series presents two incidents where bezoars were discovered postmortem. The first case involves a
9-year-old boy who succumbed to snakebite poisoning, and the second case involves a 1-year 6-month-old child
who died from paraquat poisoning. Both deaths occurred at a government hospital, and during the autopsy,
bezoars were unexpectedly found in the stomachs of both individuals. This finding highlights the continued belief
in the curative properties of bezoars despite their lack of medicinal value in modern medicine.