Rapunzel Syndrome and Atypical Pancreatitis Acute Abdomen: A Case Report

Abstract

Background: Trichobezoar is a condition characterized by the accumulation of undigested hair and or other foreign bodies in the stomach. The reported occurrence is uncommon in the Middle East and usually affects female adolescents and young children. Rapunzel syndrome, which almost exclusively affects young women, is a rare form of trichobezoar in the stomach that spreads to the intestine and is associated with psychiatric disorders such as trichotillomania and trichophagia Case Presentation: This report describes a rare case of giant trichobezoar complicated with acute pancreatitis in a young patient which was ultimately treated with the removal of trichobezoar by surgical gastrotomy. Conclusion: Trichobezoar is an underdiagnosed and rare disease that should be addressed in adolescents with trichotillomania and trichophagia with delicate clinical symptoms, especially in females. Endoscopy can help with a definitive diagnosis and surgery remains the gold standard for the treatment of this condition.