Rapunzel Syndrome is a rare clinical condition characterized by a trichobezoar in the stomach with its tail extending into the small intestine. It is commonly seen in adolescent females with only a few cases reported in children below 5 years of age. Here, we report a case of a 4.5-year-old female child with habitual hair eating behavior who presented with non-specific symptoms of abdominal pain and on-off constipation. Computed Tomography and a barium meal, revealed a well circumscribed, inhomogeneous mass in the stomach extending up to the jejunum. With laparotomy and gastrostomy, a trichobezoar with an extensive 4.5-foot tail was removed, one of the longest tails documented in medical literature. This case underscores the importance of considering trichobezoar or Rapunzel Syndrome in young children presenting with vague complaints of abdominal pain in the background of hair-eating behavior and highlights the need for early intervention to prevent severe or potentially life-threatening complications.
Iqbal et al. (Sat,) studied this question.