In a rare case, surgeons in Puducherry, southern India, successfully removed a 1.5 kg hairball from the stomach of a teenage girl. The hairball measured 35 cm in length and had accumulated due to a combination of conditions: ‘Trichotillomania,’ a disorder where individuals compulsively pull out their hair, and ‘Trichophagia,’ the act of ingesting it.
The 17-year-old, a 12th-grade student, had been unknowingly consuming her hair for over a year. This led to severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, prompting her family to seek medical assistance. Doctors initially diagnosed a large mass in her stomach, which was later confirmed to be a trichobezoar—a potentially dangerous obstruction caused by hair ingestion.
Dr. K Sasikumar, the lead surgeon and a Surgical Gastroenterologist at GEM Hospital, explained that the hairball occupied 90% of the stomach’s volume, causing immense discomfort. He noted that individuals often ingest hair as a coping mechanism to relieve stress or mental pressure. “If small quantities of hair are ingested, it might go unnoticed,” he told WION.
The surgical procedure, lasting 90 minutes, involved carefully extracting the hairball while protecting surrounding tissues. Hair’s smooth surface makes it difficult for the stomach to break down, and it can obstruct the digestive tract as it accumulates. In severe cases, the hairball may grow into the small intestine, causing further complications.
Dr. Sasikumar emphasized that this condition is more common in women under 30, particularly adolescents. He advised parents to be vigilant for signs such as unusual bald spots or uneven hair length and to seek medical attention if needed. Early intervention, including counseling and behavioral therapy, can effectively treat this condition.
The patient is now recovering well after surgery.
