The cause of abdominal mass in a child with celiac disease: Rapunzel syndrome. A case report

ABSTRACT CONTEXT: Rapunzel syndrome is a rare form of gastric trichobezoar that develops through outstretching of the bezoar from the stomach to the intestine. CASE REPORT: A 12-year-old girl who had been diagnosed with celiac disease six years earlier was brought to the department of pediatric gastroenterology because of abdominal distension. A palpable mass was detected. A trichobezoar that stretched to the small intestine was removed surgically. The patient was diagnosed as having anxiety and depressive disorder, and treatment started. Following the treatment, her previous trichophagia completely disappeared. CONCLUSION: Presence of trichobezoar should be kept in mind, especially when young girls who have psychiatric problems suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms.

Síndrome de Rapunzel: revisão de literatura / Rapunzel syndrome: a literature review

Tricobezoar gastroduodenal é definido como o acúmulo de cabelos e pelos no trato gastrointestinal, tendo como origem a ingestão dessas substâncias. As autoras relatam o caso de um volumoso tricobezoar associado à síndrome de Rapunzel, em jovem do sexo feminino com história de tricotilofagia e emagrecimento. Foram utilizados, como base de dados, a revisão de prontuário, a avaliação dos exames realizados e o acompanhamento durante o ato operatório. Apesar de ser um caso incomum, é necessário aventar sua hipótese diagnóstica diante de uma clínica exuberante como a da referida paciente. Não somente o bezoar deve ser adequadamente tratado, mas também a causa subjacente que levou a paciente à ingestão de cabelos.

Gastroduodenal trichobezoar is the accumulation of hair inside the gastroduodenal tract, originated by the ingestion of such object. On the presented study is reported the case of a voluminous trichobezoar associated with Rapunzel's syndrome on a young female with history of trichophagia and weight loss. With this purpose, chart review, assessment of the tests, and monitoring during the surgery were used. Despite being an unusual case, it should be suspected in a clinical exuberant as the patient, and must be properly treated, not only the bezoar itself, but the underlying cause that led to the ingestion of hair.

Tricotilomanía, tricobezoar de repetición y síndrome de Rapunzel: informe de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Trichotillomania, recurrent trichobezoar and Rapunzel syndrome: case report and literature review

Introducción: Un bezoar es un conglomerado de material extraño en el tracto intestinal. El tricobezoar (acumulación de cabello en la cámara gástrica) y el síndrome de Rapunzel (acumulación en el intestino delgado) suelen aparecer en niños y mujeres adolescentes con antecedente de tricotilomanía y tricofagia. Caso clínico: Mujer de 22 años de edad con dolor abdominal intermitente, plenitud gástrica, náuseas, vómito ocasional y pérdida ponderal de 10 meses de evolución. Antecedentes de tricotilomanía, tricofagia y gastrotomía a los 16 años. Los exámenes de laboratorio revelaron anemia microcítica hipocrómica y el ultrasonido mostró una sombra sónica posterior en la cámara gástrica. Por gastrotomía se extrajo un conglomerado de cabello que ocupaba el estómago y parte del intestino delgado. Conclusiones: La tricotilomanía y tricofagia son más comunes en las mujeres menores de 30 años. La sensación que experimentaba la paciente al deglutir los cabellos provocaba la ingesta. La recopilación de datos puede proporcionar información acerca de los determinantes que influyen en la aparición de la enfermedad.

BACKGROUND: Bezoar is a conglomeration of foreign material in the intestinal tract. Trichobezoar (accumulation of hair in the gastric chamber, secondary to impulsive pulling and intake) and Rapunzel syndrome (accumulation of hair in the small intestine) usually occur in children and adolescents with trichotillomania (TTM) and trichophagia history. CLINICAL CASE: We present the case of a 22-year-old female who arrived for consultation. The patient had a 10-month history of intermittent abdominal pain, gastric fullness, nausea, occasional vomiting and weight loss. In addition, she had a history of TTM, trichophagia and previous gastrotomy at 16 years of age. Laboratory tests revealed hypochromic microcytic anemia. Ultrasonographic study demonstrated intense sonic shadowing posterior to the gastric area. After performing gastrotomy, the specimen was extracted and consisted of hair that occupied the entire length of the gastric chamber and part of the small intestine. CONCLUSIONS: TTM is characterized by recurrent and impulsive pulling of one's hair for pleasure, gratification, or relief of tension. Children and women <30 years of age are the groups who most frequently suffer from this type of disorder. Hair intake sensation was a cause for presentation of the disease. Data recollection in our environment may provide information for the determination of new information regarding the presence of this condition.

Tricotilomania: revisão da literatura / Trichotillomania

Um número substancial de pacientes sofrre de tricotilomania, uma doença psiquiátrica com manifestações dermatológicas. Pessoas que sofrem de tricotilomania normalmente sabem de sua doença, mas não procuram ajuda devido à vergonha que sentem. Neste artigo, os autores discutem as características clinicas e propedêuticas da tricotilomania, com ênfase nos aspectos psiquiátricos dos pacientes.

A substancial number of patients are suffering about trichotilomania, a psychiatric disease that has dermatological manifestations. People who suffer about trichotillomania, generally know about their disease, but they don't look after help due to the shame that feel. In this article, the authors discuss the clinical characteristics and propedeutic of trichotillomania, with emphasis on the psychiatric aspects of the patients.

Tricotilomania / Trichotillomania

A tricotilomania é caracterizada por alopecia, resultante de hábito repetitivo de puxar o cabelo exercido pelo próprio paciente. Além do comprometimento estético e conseqüências sociais, o hábito pode levar a complicações. O artigo procura familiarizar o leitor com os principais aspectos clínicos e o tratamento a ser utilizado nos casos de tricotilomania, com ênfase nas técnicas de terapia comportamental.

Trichotillomania is characterized by hair loss from a patient's repetitive self-pulling of hair. This habit is embarrassing, unattractive, socially undesirable, and can predispose to some complications. The purpose of this article is to familiarize the reader with clinical features of trichotillomania and to describe appropriate therapeutic approach to be applied, with particular attention to behavior therapy techniques.

Obstrucción intestinal causada por tricobezoar: Síndrome de Rapunzel / Intestinal obstruction due to a tríchobezoar or Rapunzel Syndrome: report of one case

Rapunzel syndrome or gastrointestinal trichobezoar is caused by hair ingestion. The diagnosis may be suspected in young females with important weight loss, who deny hair eating. We report a 16 year-old female consulting in the emergency room for abdominal pain. She was subjected to an exploratory laparotomy and a big mass was palpated in the stomach. A gastrostomy and enterostomy were performed and a 17x6x5 cm trichobezoar was extracted. The patient had an uneventful postoperative outcome and was derived to Psychiatry.

Gastric trichobezoar presenting as gastric outlet obstruction--a case report.

Trichobezoars are impactions of swallowed hairs in the stomach and occasionally in the intestine. They occur in emotionally disturbed, depressed, or mentally retarded patients who have trichotillomania and trichophagia. Removal of gastric trichobezoar by open surgery (gastrotomy) is a standard approach. Psychiatric follow-up is needed to diminish the recurrence of trichotillomania and trichophagia. Here, we report a case of large gastric trichobezoar presenting as gastric outlet obstruction in a 13-years-old girl. She was treated with open surgical extraction of the bezoar and behavioral therapy.

Epigastric mass in a young girl: trichobezoar. Imaging diagnosis.

A 16-year old girl presented with a history of abdominal pain, lump in epigastrium since one year. The ultrasound examination showed an epigastric mass, which was delineated as a filling defect in the stomach on barium studies. Upper GI endoscopy showed a large intragastric mass composed of hair. The CT scan showed a gastric mass extending to the duodenum. She was managed by surgical removal. A large gastric trichobezoar extending upto the jejunum was found. This case highlights the characteristic radiological appearance on barium, ultrasound and computed tomography of a bezoar within the stomach and a trichobezoar with a long tail extending upto the jejunum without intestinal obstruction is unusual.

Trichobezoar

Trichobezoar is an uncommon condition often presenting, among other signs, with a history of trichotillomania and trichophagia. We report an unusual case of gastric trichobezoar with extension into jejunum in a patient with an unusual habit of ingesting hair plucked from other people's scalp

Trichotillomania.

Trichotillomania, though uncommon, is one of the causes of unexplained hair loss, especially in children. Three girls in the age group of 4-6 years were observed in our pediatric dermatology clinic to have trichotillomania. In one child, there was co-existent alopecia areata. All were referred to the child guidance clinic and they all showed improvement with behavior therapy. A close liasion between the dermatologist, psychiatrist and parents would go a long way in preventing this alopecia

Tribezoar gigante associado a maus-tratos na infância: relato de um caso / Giant trychobezoar associated to child abuse and neglect: a case report

Relata-se o caso de uma paciente de 9 anos portadora de tricotilomania que desenvolveu um tricobezoar gigante e a associaçäo deste com maus-tratos. Säo revisados os principais tipos de bezoar, bem como suas apresentaçöes clínicas, diagnósticos e terapêuticas. Ressalta-se a importância do diagnóstico diferencial de patologias gástricas em crianças, a necessidade do tratamento dos estressores psicológicos que levam à tricotilomania e o papel da endoscopia digestiva associada à cirurgia no manejo destes casos

Tricotilomania: revisäo da literatura e relato de caso / Trichotillomania: a review of the literature and a case report

A tricotilomania, impulso irresístivel de arrancar os próprios cabelos, tem sido alvo de crescente atençäo da comunidade psiquiátrica nos últimos anos. Entretanto, informaçöes precisas acerca de sua prevalência, história natural e tratamento säo escassas. Os autores fazem uma revisäo da literatura sobre o tema e apresentam um caso clínico a título de ilustraçäo

Clinical profile of trichotillomania.

Twenty-four cases of trichotillomania attending psychiatry outpatient department and child guidance clinic at Kalawati Saran Children's and Smt Sucheta Kriplani Hospitals over a period of 2 years from July, 1985 to November 1987 were studied. Females (66.7%) outnumbered the males (33.3%). Majority of cases belonged to age group 6-10 years (54.2%) and nuclear family (68.5%). Nail-biting (25.0%) was the commonest associated neurotic trait, followed by enuresis (20.9%), temper-tantrum (12.5%), etc. A past history of hysterical fits and neurotic depression was found in 3 cases (12.5%) and 2 cases (8.3%) respectively. Family history of neurosis was seen in mothers and fathers of 20.9% and 12.5% cases respectively. Trichobezoars and trichophytobezoars were found in 6 cases (25.0%) and 3 cases (12.5%) respectively. Majority of patients of trichobezoars presented with vague complaints like heaviness in the stomach (55.6%), inability to gain weight (44.4%), etc, while 22.2% cases were asymptomatic and detected only on screening.

Tricobezoar y úlcera gástrica en pediatría: reporte de 1 caso / Gastric trichobezoar and ulcer in pediatric patient: a case report

Presentamos un caso de tricobezoar gástrico diagnosticado en una paciente pediátrica que presentaba tricotilomanía y tricofagia. Se halló además una úlcera gástrica no sangrante en curvatura mayor, hallazgo radiográfico confirmado en el acto quirúrgico en que se extirpó el tricobezoar. Se hace una revisión sobre las características más importantes que acompañan a esta rara patología