Girl's stomach perforated due to habit of swallowing hair and fibers

However, on the way, baby V. had difficulty breathing and cold hands and feet so he was taken to the Emergency Department - City Children's Hospital (HCMC).

On August 16, specialist doctor Nguyen Minh Tien (Deputy Director of the City Children's Hospital) said that when he was admitted to the emergency room, baby V. was lethargic, restless, had purple lips, and a stiff abdomen... The child had a history of congenital heart disease, tetralogy of Fallot, which was discovered after birth but was not re-examined. Abdominal ultrasound showed a large amount of echogenic peritoneal fluid and free air throughout the abdomen. The child was diagnosed with peritonitis due to perforated hollow viscus, sepsis, and septic shock.

The child was treated with respiratory support, anti-shock intravenous fluids, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and surgical consultation to perform emergency surgery.

Standing abdominal X-ray showed air under the diaphragm, fibrous mass was surgically removed from the stomach.

When opening the baby's stomach, the doctors took out a lot of hair, straw, fibers, and nylon threads. The doctors took out all the foreign objects in the stomach and performed a gastric lavage.

After surgery, baby V. was transferred to the Department of Surgical Intensive Care for continued treatment with mechanical ventilation, sedation, vasopressors, antibiotics, and nutritional support.

Taking medical history, the baby's mother said that the baby has a habit of swallowing hair, fibers, straw, and nylon threads in the toothbrush...

At the City Children's Hospital, every year the hospital receives many cases of intestinal obstruction due to frequent hair pulling and hair eating. Most of the children have to undergo surgery to remove the "giant hairball" from the digestive tract. In particular, all pediatric cases need to be monitored for long-term psychological treatment afterward.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/be-gai-thung-da-day-do-thoi-quen-nuot-toc-soi-xo-185240815163028502.htm