Rapunzel Syndrome: Trichobezoar in a 13 Years Old Girl

• Main Authors: Krishnanand, Roshan Chanchalani, Kamlesh Dhruv
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Light House Polyclinic Mangalore 2013-04-01
• Series: Online Journal of Health & Allied Sciences
• Online Access: http://ojhas.org/issue45/2013-1-4.html

Background: Rapunzel syndrome is a rare type of trichobezoar with an extension of the hair into the small bowel. Clinical presentation is deceptive and vague ranging from abdominal mass to gastrointestinal symptoms. Case Presentation: We present a 13 years old girl with Rapunzel syndrome, where the trichobezoar was not suspected at all especially with negative history of trichophagia. In majority of the cases the diagnosis was made very late in the history of the disease, at a stage where surgery is the only cure for this syndrome. Conclusion: A trichobezoar represents a serious surgical condition. It is important to consider such diagnosis in face of suggestive symptoms, even if signs of trichotillomania are not present. The discrepancies between the prevalence of trichotillomania and trichobezoars due to trichophagia may be due to issues related to self-selection of patients and symptom severity. Such issues may also be important in the study of impulsive-compulsive spectrum models and to their relevance to impulse control disorders.