In mid-October, Ms. Xie, in her forties, returned to the Department of Gastroenterology at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital for a follow-up visit. The two stones that had been in her stomach a week earlier had largely disappeared. Hu Xiao, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Gastroenterology at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, stated that every autumn and winter, after persimmons come into season, the department admits dozens of patients...
Patients with gastric stones often suffer from them due to excessive consumption of fruits rich in pectin, such as persimmons, black dates, and wild dates.
In early October, Ms. Xie, a resident of Yibin City, was diagnosed with gastric stones and transferred to Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital after being treated at a local hospital. "She had two stones in her stomach, each seven or eight centimeters in diameter," Hu Xiao speculated, adding that such large stones must have started growing slowly several years ago.
In recent years, to address these issues, the gastrointestinal endoscopy team at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital drew inspiration from retrograde biliary tract stone removal surgery and pioneered the "reel-and-saw" lithotripsy method internationally, utilizing existing ERCP metal sheaths and guidewires for stone fragmentation. This method is convenient, fast, and safe, with an operation time of only about 10 minutes. Later, to address the lack of appropriate lithotripsy tools in grassroots medical institutions, the team developed a specialized gastric stone lithotripsy ring device, which is simple to use and easy to promote. "Now, we can basically complete stone fragmentation in one session, and after taking medication or drinking plenty of cola, the stones can generally be eliminated within a week," said Hu Xiao.
Why do stomach stones "grow"? Actually, stomach stones aren't stones at all, but rather clumps of food or foreign objects that solidify in the stomach. Based on their composition and origin, stomach stones can be classified into four types: plant-based, animal-based, drug-based, and mixed. The most common type is the plant-based stomach stone, with persimmons being the most frequent cause.
Plant-based gastric bezoars are usually formed when people eat too many fruits containing tannins, such as persimmons and hawthorns, on an empty stomach or after meals. The tannins, under the action of gastric acid, combine with proteins to form water-insoluble precipitates, which then adhere to pectin, food residue, and other substances to form clumps. Sometimes these clumps are expelled from the body through gastrointestinal motility, but sometimes they remain in the stomach and gradually increase in size, from the size of a date to the size of a goose egg or even larger.
Who is prone to developing gastric stones? Hu Xiao explained that it is mainly those with poor gastrointestinal motility and emptying function, especially the elderly. For example, those with atrophic gastritis, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease; those who are bedridden for long periods or have little activity; those who consume a lot of fiber-rich foods; those with oral diseases or decreased chewing function; those who have undergone surgery, have changes in gastrointestinal anatomy, or are taking medications that may slow down gastric contraction are all at high risk for phytobezoars.
Stomach stones can cause symptoms such as stomach discomfort, pain, nausea, and vomiting. In severe cases, long-term pressure can lead to complications such as digestive tract ulcers, bleeding, and stomach perforation. To prevent stomach stones, the most important thing is to pay attention to your diet. Try to avoid eating fruits containing tannins, such as persimmons, hawthorns, and black dates, on an empty stomach or in excessive amounts. Also, avoid eating them with acidic or high-protein foods.
