Rapunzel syndrome: 1 kg hair mass removed from girl’s stomach, small intestine at hospital in Keralam

representational image | Photo Credit: The Hindu

A 1-kg mass of hair was removed from the stomach and small intestine of a nine-year-old girl in a rare surgery at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam, authorities said on Saturday.

The girl, who was diagnosed with Rapunzel syndrome, underwent the surgery at NIMS Medicity in nearby Neyyattinkara, they said.

She was admitted to the hospital with persistent abdominal pain and vomiting, according to a statement issued by the hospital. Ultrasound and CT scans revealed severe intestinal obstruction, and a subsequent endoscopy confirmed a large mass of hair accumulated in the stomach and small intestine.