Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 3: Doctors at a private hospital successfully performed a complex surgery on a 9-year-old girl suffering from severe abdominal pain and vomiting, removing a massive hairball weighing one kilogram from her stomach and small intestine.
Rare Surgery at ‘NIMS Medicity’ Hospital
This rare surgery was performed at ‘NIMS Medicity’ hospital in Neyyattinkara, near Thiruvananthapuram. After the girl was admitted with severe abdominal pain, tests including ultrasound, CT scan, and endoscopy revealed a large accumulation of hair in her stomach and intestines.
Girl Suffering from a Psychological Condition
A team of doctors led by Dr. Biju I.G. Nair, a senior surgeon in the Department of Pediatric Surgery, successfully performed the operation to remove the hairball. In medical terminology, this condition is known as ‘Rapunzel Syndrome’ or ‘Trichobezoar’. This problem arises from the habit of cutting and eating one’s own hair, often driven by mental stress or a psychological disorder. The undigested hair gradually accumulates in the stomach, forming a hard mass.
The girl has now fully recovered and was discharged from the hospital after she began consuming a normal diet. Doctors stated that fewer than 100 such rare cases have been reported worldwide to date.