A huge hairball was found in a three-year-old child’s stomach that extended into her intestines.
The youngster suffered from trichophagia, also known as Rapunzel Syndrome, a compulsive behaviour where a person eats their own hair.
Paediatric surgeon David Canché Durán said the accumulated mass was a trichobezoar, a hairball that extends from the stomach into the intestines.
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He said the girl’s condition led to nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, and weight loss of around 8.8 to 11lbs (4 to 5 kg).
The enormous mass was composed of hair, mucus, and decaying food fragments, as reported by Need To Know.
She was treated at a clinic in Mérida, located west of Cancun, in Mexico, at the end of July.
Dr. Canché said, “Rapunzel syndrome is an unusual form of gastric trichobezoar that extends into the intestine.
“The three-year-old girl who was admitted to the clinic with a history of depression, hair biting, with patchy areas without hair, irregular treatments in the previous year, and a five-month history of nausea, vomiting, and weight loss of 4 to 5 kg.
“Examination findings included abdominal distension and pain.
“She had severe anaemia.
“The diagnosis was confirmed with gastroscopy, which revealed a large trichobezoar with duodenal extension.”
Dr. Canché said the mass was successfully removed and the girl was discharged without complications.
He added: “Rapunzel syndrome is characterised by the body of the trichobezoar being located in the stomach and its tail in the small intestine and/or the right colon, it produces an upper or lower intestinal obstruction and occurs in psychiatric patients who complain of trichophagia (hair eating).”
One local said, “I can’t even imagine that little girl going through depression like that, how awful. I hope she’s okay today.”
“What amazed me was that she was only three years old. I’ve heard of cases like this in adolescents and adults, but never a young girl,” added another.
Alejandra remarked, “It’s kind of amazing, Doc. It even made my stomach turn.”
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