Large hairball found in the intestines of a 4-year-old child.

In Soc Trang, a 4-year-old girl with a habit of swallowing hair was hospitalized with vomiting, abdominal distension, and fever. Doctors diagnosed her with Rapunzel syndrome, also known as "the princess with long hair syndrome."

On June 13th, representatives from the Soc Trang Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital stated that the baby was malnourished, had pale skin, and sparse hair. Ultrasound and X-ray results revealed a foreign object and a paperclip in the baby's digestive tract.

Doctors diagnosed the child with intestinal obstruction caused by a foreign object and surgically removed a large ball of hair. Post-operatively, the girl is awake and her health is improving; she is expected to be discharged in the next few days.

A ball of hair was surgically removed from the small intestine of a 4-year-old girl. Photo: An Minh

Most people with Rapunzel syndrome show signs of malnutrition, abdominal pain, and vomiting, and the disease is only discovered when they go to the hospital for examination.

Trichophagia is a rare condition, primarily affecting women who typically eat their own hair or the hair of others. The swallowed hair cannot be digested and can become lodged in the stomach and intestines, accumulating over time to form large clumps that can cause blockages or perforations.

An Minh

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