A Rare Cause of Abdominal Mass: Rapunzel Syndrome

Abstract

Bezoar is a condition in which foods or fibers that are not absorbed in the gastrointestinal system usually accumulate in the stomach. It usually develops in persons with gastrointestinal motility disorders, anatomic changes or psychiatric disorders. Trichobezoar is the accumulation of hair in the gastric chamber among people with psychiatric disorders such as trichotillomania and trichophagia. Rapunzel syndrome, however, is a rare form of trichobezoar extending from the stomach to the small intestine. In this paper, we present a rare case of 15-year old girl diagnosed with Rapunzel syndrome on admission due to abdominal pain and abdominal mass. J Clin Exp Invest 2016; 7 (1): 87-90