Gastric Outlet Obstruction Caused by Trichobezoar

Authors

  • Rangsan Niramis Department of Surgery, Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (Children's Hospital), Bangkok 10400, Thailand
  • Sukawat Watanatittan Department of Medical Service, Ministry of Public Health, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to report a rare case with a trichobezoar in the stomach.

Materials and Methods: A 5-year-old girl developed abdominal pain with non-bilious vomiting about 3 days before admission. A round mass was palpable at the epigastrium. Past history indicated that she habitually swallowed her own hair during the previous 3 years. After complete radiological investigations had been done, surgical laparotomy was performed and revealed a large hairball in the stomach and this mass obstructed the pyloric canal. The bezoar was removed through a gastrotomy. The stomach was closed in two layers. Postoperative course was uneventful. Since then, she completely stopped eating her hair.

Conclusion: This report was an unusual foreign body impaction in the stomach. Recurrence of this phenomenon has never been reported because the operation is probably traumatic enough to stop hair ingestion.

References

1. De Bakey M, Ochsner A. Bezoars and concretions. Surgery 1938;4:934-63 and 1939; 5: 132-60.

2. Agha FP, Nostrant TT, Fiddian-Green RG. "Giant colonic bezoar". A medication bezoar due to psyllium seed husks. Am J Gastroenterol 1984; 79: 319-21.

3. Bockus HC. Gastroenterology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 1963. p. 869.

4. Grosfeld JL, Schreiner RL, Franken EA, Lemons JA, Ballantine TVN, Weber TR, et al. The changing pattern of gastro-intestinal bezoars in infants and children. Surgery 1980; 88:425-32.

5. Goldstein SS, Lewis JH, Rothstein R. Intestinal obstruction due to bezoars. Am J Gastroenterol 1984; 79: 313-8.

6. Deslypere JP, Praet M, Verdonk G. An unusual case of the trichobezoar: the Rapunzel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol 1982;77:467-70.

7. Hossenbocus A, Collin DG. Trichobezoar, gastric polyposis, protein losing gastro-enteropathy and steatorrhea. Gut 1973;14:730-2.

8. Small A, Muehlbauer M, Kleinhaus S. Obstructing giant trichobezoar involving stomach and duodenal bulb. Am J Gastroenterol 1968; 50: 297-302.

9. Sewell IR. An unusual case of perforated gastric ulcer. Aust NZJ Surg 1968; 38: 19-20.

10. Dreznik Z, Wolfstein I, Avigad I, Shalin N. Trichobezoar. Int Surg 1976: 61: 219-21.

11. Gryboski J. Gastrointestinal problem in infancy. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 1975. p. 156-8.

12. Goyal J, Mittal AC. Small bowel obstruction due to trichobezoar. Ind J Pediatr 1976; 43: 108-9.

13. Vaughan ED, Sawyers JL, Scott HW. The Rapunzel syndrome: an unusual complication of intestinal bezoar. Surgery 1968;63: 339-41.

14. Seker B, Dilek ON, Karaayvaz M. Trichobezoars as a cause of gastrointestinal obstructions: the Rapunzel syndrome. Acta Gastroenterol Belg 1996; 59: 166-7.

15. Rees M. Intussusception caused by multiple trichobezoars: a surgical trap for the unwary. Br J Surg 1984; 71: 721.

16. Mehta MH, Patel PV. Intussusception and intestinal perforations caused by multiple trichobezoars. J Pediatr Surg 27:1234-5.

17. Schreiber H, Filston HC. Obstructive jaundice due to gastric trichobezoar. J Pediatr Surg 1976; 11: 103-4.

18. Rao PLNG, Kumur VV, Pathak IC, et al. Small bowel trichobezoar with obstruction and perforation. Ind Pediatr 1979;16: 1041-2.

19. Rao PLNG, Mitra SK, Pathak IC. Trichobezoars in children. Int Surg 1981;66: 63-5.

Downloads

Published

2001-09-28

How to Cite

1.
Niramis R, Watanatittan S. Gastric Outlet Obstruction Caused by Trichobezoar. Thai J Surg [Internet]. 2001 Sep. 28 [cited 2024 Nov. 23];22(3):79-82. Available from: https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/ThaiJSurg/article/view/243238

Issue

Section

Original Articles