Publication:

Rapunzel syndrome: a review of unusual case

A rare condition characterized by trichophagia, or the swallowing of one’s own own hair, leading to a solid mass that forms in the gastrointestinal tract. The resulting blockage of the gastrointestinal tract may be fatal. The hair forms a solid mass in the digestive tract known as a trichobezoar. It causes abdominal pain and nausea, but can also present as an asymptomatic abdominal mass, progressing to abdominal obstruction and perforation. It is predominantly found in emotionally disturbed or mentally retarded youngsters. We present the youngest case of Rapunzel syndrome in the Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research Hospital, Surat, India, a 7-year-old girl who present with abdominal pain and non-tender abdominal mass.