In the golden autumn season, be careful of "gastric stones"

Autumn is the season of harvest, with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Our stomachs also enjoy the delicacies of autumn. However, as a gastroenterologist, I have recently received a number of patients with "gastric stones".

What is gastrolithiasis?

We may all be familiar with gallstones, kidney stones, and even dental stones. We have heard relatively less about gastric stones. As the name suggests, it is the growth of stones in the stomach. It is generally caused by some foods containing tannic acid (such as persimmons, black dates, hawthorn, etc.) which combine with protein under the action of gastric acid to form water-insoluble tannic acid proteins. These proteins are mixed with cellulose, gum, pectin, etc. to form lumps that keep rolling, which is the formation of so-called gastric stones.

What are the dangers and symptoms of gastric stone disease?

The stones formed in the stomach remain in the gastric cavity, which can cause discomfort such as indigestion and abdominal distension. The gastric stones repeatedly roll and rub the gastric mucosa, causing gastric mucosal damage and even ulcer formation, leading to abdominal pain, acid reflux, black stools and other symptoms. If the stones are large, they may cause gastrointestinal obstruction, with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, hematemesis, and difficulty in defecation and flatulence.

How to determine whether you have gastrolithiasis?

If the patient has a history of eating persimmons, black dates, hawthorns and other foods recently, and has abdominal pain, bloating, indigestion, black stools and other symptoms after eating, then you should be alert to the possibility of gastric stones. After seeing a doctor, an X-ray barium meal or gastroscopy is the main means of diagnosis.

What should I do if I have stomach stones?

In the early stages of gastric stone disease, when the stone clumps are relatively soft, they can be treated with digestive aids, alkaline foods, and medications (such as baking soda tablets and carbonated drinks). If the results are not good or the gastric stones have been present for a long time, endoscopic lithotripsy can be performed. The gastric stones can be reduced in size with the aid of a lithotripsy basket or a stone removal basket to help them be excreted from the body. If the gastric stones are huge and difficult to handle under endoscopy, surgical removal may be required.

How to prevent stomach stones?

1. Avoid eating foods rich in tannic acid such as persimmons (especially unripe persimmons), hawthorns, and black dates on an empty stomach;

2. Avoid eating too much of the above foods at one time;

3. Avoid eating the above foods together with high-protein foods;

4. If you experience stomach discomfort after eating, seek medical attention immediately.

5. People with weak spleen and stomach, the elderly and young children should try to avoid eating the above foods.