A team of doctors at the GEM Hospital in Puducherry recently removed a hairball from the stomach of a 17-year-old girl.
The hairball weighing 1.5 kg was removed successfully in a 90-minute operation that involved a detailed and cautious approach to extract it, while minimising damage to the surrounding tissues. The patient recovered and started consuming a normal diet from the third day.
Addressing a press conference, K. Sasikumar, surgical gastroenterologist and lead surgeon at the hospital, said the patient was admitted to the hospital after she complained of abdominal pain and nausea. Following diagnostic tests, the report revealed a large mass in the stomach. It was later identified as an extensive hairball, or trichobezoar.
“Trichobezoars are rare but serious gastrointestinal obstructions caused by the ingestion of hair, a condition often linked to a psychological disorder known as trichotillomania, where individuals have a compulsion to swallow their own hair,” he said. Dr. Sasikumar said the girl had been doing this for the past couple of months, without the knowledge of anyone at home. The amount of hair posed a significant risk to the patient’s digestive system and overall health.
According to Dr. Sasikumar, “This condition is generally prevalent in women than men. A person with this condition will feel the urge to pull out their own hair and ingest it. This case underscores the need for awareness about the potential complications of trichotillomania and the importance of seeking medical help when symptoms arise. It is also important for the patient to seek counselling rather than trying to wean away from the disorder themselves.”
