An adolescent girl with Rapunzel syndrome: Case report with review of literature

Trichobezoar is a collection of dense mass of hair in stomach. When this extends into any part of the small intestine it is called Rapunzel Syndrome (RS). We report here, a case of RS in an adolescent girl who had presented with epigastric pain and swelling. Gastroscopy confirmed the presence of trichobezoar. She underwent gastrotomy and a large dense mass of hair extending up to first part of duodenum was removed. Her parents revealed their daughter′s impulsive nature of scalp-hair pulling. Following surgery, Psychiatric consultation was sought to prevent recurrence. Trichobezoar is a very rare cause of upper abdominal mass and should be considered if there is a very strong history of impulsive hair pulling. Surgical removal of a large trichobezoar is the only treatment of cure and psychiatric treatment that prevents its recurrence.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-SA

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