In a rare medical event, doctors at Sawai Man Singh Hospital (SMS) in Jaipur successfully removed a record-breaking 210-centimetre-long trichobezoar, a massive hairball, from a 14-year-old girl’s stomach and intestine. The surgery was completed on 26th May. The girl, a 10th-class student, was a resident of Barara Village in the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh.
Record-breaking surgery
The trichobezoar was entangled throughout her small intestine, making it a complex surgical case. Doctors said it had to be extracted in one piece to avoid multiple intestinal incisions. The surgery lasted for two hours and was effectively completed without the need for a blood transfusion.
This 210-centimetre-long trichobezoar was removed in one piece and has successfully surpassed the previous record of 180 centimeters, making it the longest in the world. Doctors are planning to apply for the Guinness World Records for it.
When we measured, we found it to be 210 cm long, which is the world's longest trichobezoar ever removed from the stomach of a patient. We will apply for a Guinness World Record for it.Dr. Jeevan Kankaria, Surgery Department, SMS Jaipur
What had happened?
The young girl was brought to the hospital with complaints of persistent abdominal discomfort and recurring vomiting for over a month. On thorough examination, a hard mass was found in her abdomen extending from the stomach to the navel. She was advised to have a Contrast-Enhanced CT (CECT), which revealed a swollen stomach filled with unusual objects.
The condition where a large hairball extends from the stomach to the small intestine is rare and called Rapunzel Syndrome. It’s named after the fairytale character Rapunzel, who had long hair. People suffering from this often have the habit of pulling hair from their scalp and eating it. Doctors diagnosed this as the cause behind her symptoms.
What led to this?
After taking a detailed history, doctors discovered that the girl had been suffering from Pica since Class 6—a mental health condition where people start eating and swallowing non-edible items, which is also considered one of the contributing factors to Rapunzel Syndrome.
Influenced by her peers, she began eating chalk in Class 6 and later developed a compulsion to eat items like dirt, wooden pieces, and eventually her own hair—a symptom commonly found in this condition.
According to Dr. Kankaria, “She started eating chalk in school around Class 6, influenced by peers, and later began ingesting hair.” During surgery, doctors discovered rubber bands, wooden pieces, threads, pieces of stone, and other non-food items entangled in the bunch of her hair.
What’s next?
According to the team of doctors, the girl is currently undergoing treatment and will be discharged once her condition stabilizes and she fully recovers. She belongs to a family of farmers in Agra.
What does this case highlight?
“You’d never imagine hair could grow deadly inside you until it does.”
This case underlines the urgent need for awareness about behavioral disorders and timely screening, especially in children and adolescents. What started as a harmless habit of eating chalk led to a life-threatening illness due to lack of awareness and timely support.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Pooja Bansal/MSM)