Surgical Complications of Pica Syndrome: A Case Series

Abstract

An excessive or abnormal desire to consume a non-nutritional substance, which may be comparatively harmless or potentially damaging to one's health, is a defining characteristic of the Pica syndrome, an eating disorder. It is a rare affliction brought on by the buildup of various natural foreign materials in the digestive tract, particularly at the stomach level. The most common localisation is gastrointestinal, and it can persist for a very long time without symptoms.

Many theories about the etiology of Pica syndrome are known: psychological (acquired behavior), environmental (stressful events, a failed social environment), sensory (automatic strengthening) and nutritional deficit (iron and zinc).

The procedure is surgical. We present three cases with digestive Pica syndrome complications. The first patient underwent surgery for a gastrointestinal perforation brought on by ingesting 53 nails, a pin, and tape recorder cassette bands, the second patient had surgery for a trichobezoar, and the final patient had a subocclusion caused by chunks of granite.