TRICHOPHAGIA AND TRICHOBEZOAR IN A 12 YEAR OLD GIRL: A CASE REPORT

Trichobezoar consists of a compact mass of hair occupying the gastric cavity to a various extent. When the trichobezoar extends past the duodenum it is better referred to as Rapunzel syndrome. They occur in emotionally disturbed, depressed, or mentally retarded patients who have trichotillomania and trichophagia. It is almost exclusively seen in girls. An underlying functional or mechanical obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract (after gastric surgery, gastric dysmotility, for example) may predispose to bezoar formation in rare instances. Although trichobezoars are well described in terms of surgical diagnostic and procedure, there are only but very scarce reports on psychiatric literature, usually associated with trichotillomania. We present a clinical case of trichobezoar in a 12 year old female and discuss the most relevant aspects concerning this entity.