Tangled culprit: a rare case of bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction with pulmonary Edema in a rural Guatemalan woman.

Abstract

We present the unusual case of a 52-year-old woman from a low-resource community in Guatemala who developed small bowel obstruction, followed by acute pulmonary edema. The patient had no prior history of abdominal surgeries or significant comorbidities, making this presentation unexpected. The obstruction was caused by a bezoar and complicated by fluid overload during resuscitation. Radiologic findings revealed dilated bowel loops, suggesting bowel obstruction, and Kerley B lines, indicating concurrent pulmonary edema. This report underscores the challenges of managing complex emergencies in resource-limited settings, highlighting the importance of timely surgical intervention and careful fluid management.