Rare: 12cm long hair bun in 4 year old girl's intestine

Doctors at Soc Trang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital have just performed surgery to remove a 12 cm hairball from the intestines of a 4 year old girl.

On September 24, a source from Soc Trang Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital said that the hospital's doctors had just successfully performed surgery to remove a 12 cm hairball from the intestines of a 4-year-old girl named TTPN (living in Phu Loi Ward, Can Tho City - formerly Soc Trang City, Soc Trang).

Hairball in 4-year-old girl's intestine was successfully removed by surgeons

HOANG VAN

Previously, TTPN was admitted to the hospital in a state of exhaustion, poor appetite, stomachache, and vomiting. The family gave him medicine but it did not help, so they took him to the hospital for treatment.

Through clinical examination, ultrasound, and abdominal X-ray, the doctor diagnosed N. with intestinal obstruction due to intussusception and indicated laparoscopic surgery to remove the intussusception. After the endoscopy to remove the intussusception, the doctor discovered a 12 cm long segment of intestine filled with hair and food debris, causing intestinal obstruction.

Accordingly, the surgeon opened the abdomen and cut open the intestines to remove the foreign object. At the same time, the intestines were sutured and the abdominal cavity was drained. After the surgery, the baby gradually regained consciousness, but due to his exhausted condition, he needed to continue to be monitored and cared for at the hospital.

Currently, baby TTPN is being monitored and cared for at Soc Trang Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital.

HOANG VAN

Doctor Quach Tong Lai, in charge of the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Soc Trang Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, said that the patient showed signs of Rapunzel syndrome. This is a syndrome that causes the patient to like to pull out and eat their own hair, even pulling out the hair of people around them to eat. This syndrome is related to injuries such as psychological disorders. Swallowed hair cannot be digested, accumulates in the stomach or intestines, and over time forms a large ball causing obstruction.

Through the above case of a child with a hairball in the stomach, the doctor recommends that parents and caregivers pay attention to the child's unusual behaviors, such as: the child often sucks or swallows objects that are not food, pulls hair and puts it in the mouth to swallow, the child's hair is thin, often has unexplained stomach pain, malnutrition... If there are unusual symptoms, parents should take the child to a medical facility for examination and timely treatment.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hy-huu-bui-toc-dai-12-cm-trong-ruot-be-gai-4-tuoi-18525092411130796.htm