Background: Sucralfate is widely used in stress bleeding prophylaxis in intensive care units as it causes relatively few side effects. Its use in patients with risk factors may lead to the formation of esophageal bezoar. We describe the first known pediatric case of sucralfate esophageal bezoar.
Case report: A 11-year-old girl presented with severe encephalitis complicated by seizures. She was treated in an intensive care unit by restrictive hydration associated with sucralfate, morphinic compound, phenobarbital and curare. At day 10, enteral feeding through a nasogastric tube was started. Five days later, an esophageal bezoar was diagnosed, which disappeared after discontinuing sucralfate, morphinic compound, curare and enteral feeding.
Conclusions: Risk factors, similar to those reported in adults with esophageal bezoars, were found in this patient ie, plurimedication, dehydration, impaired gastric motility. Caution should be taken when combining enteral feeding and sucralfate whenever any additional risk factor is present.