Woman eats her own hair in a rare syndrome, hospitalised with complications

 

A 38-year-old woman had a 15-centimeter hairball surgically removed from her stomach, as reported in a recent medical journal. She arrived at a hospital in the U.S. with severe nausea, vomiting, and a swollen abdomen. Over the previous eight months, she had lost 15 pounds due to a significant reduction in her appetite.

During surgery, doctors found a large hairball stuck in her stomach, with part of it extending into her intestines. Additionally, a smaller four-centimeter hairball was discovered further along in her bowel.

The woman was diagnosed with a rare condition called Rapunzel Syndrome, which has only been documented 88 times in medical literature. This condition is related to trichotillomania, a disorder that causes people to compulsively pull out their own hair, sometimes leading them to ingest it.

Named after the fairy tale character Rapunzel, this syndrome is rare but can result in serious health complications. When hair builds up in the stomach, it can lead to blockages. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, changes in bowel habits, abdominal swelling, and weight loss. In severe cases, it can cause bowel obstruction, perforation, intestinal bleeding, anemia, and appendicitis.

The surgeons successfully removed both hairballs, and the woman was discharged from the hospital six days later. She was advised to undergo psychological therapy to address the root cause of her condition.