The hair from the lady’s physique was extracted on September 26 in an operation. (Representational)
Lucknow/Bareilly:
Medical doctors in Bareilly have extracted 2 kg of human hair from inside a 21-year-old girl, who had been consuming it for the final 16 years, plucking it on the sly each time she would get an opportunity.
Clinically recognized as trichophagia, or Rapunzel Syndrome, the psychological situation includes the victims choosing their very own hair for ingestion.
The hair had fully “captured the cavity” of her abdomen and even some a part of her gut, docs mentioned.
The Kargaina resident was recognized with the situation on September 20 when the buildup of hair was detected in a CT Scan.
“Trichophagia is a power psychiatric dysfunction that includes the repeated ingestion of hair. It is usually related to trichotillomania, a situation that includes compulsively pulling out one’s personal hair,” Dr MP Singh, a surgeon on the district hospital in Bareilly, instructed PTI.
After her prognosis, Dr Singh mentioned, the lady was counselled on the hospital. She accepted that from the age of 5 she had been consuming her hair.
The hair from her physique was extracted on September 26 in an operation.
“The amount of hair had fully captured the cavity of her abdomen and even some a part of her gut,” Dr Singh mentioned.
The situation rendered the affected person unable to eat stable objects, and induced vomiting when she took one thing liquid.
“Psychological downside the affected person had is known as Trichophagia. Operation was held for trichobezoar, and the syndrome is known as the Rapunzel syndrome,” Dr Singh mentioned.
“Rapunzel syndrome is an uncommon type of trichobezoar present in sufferers with a historical past of psychiatric issues, trichotillomania (behavior of hair pulling) and trichophagia (morbid behavior of chewing the hair), consequently growing gastric bezoars. The principal signs are vomiting and epigastric ache,” he added.
He outlined trichobezoar as a hairball that may type within the gastrointestinal tract. “It may be benign, however it might probably additionally trigger severe well being considerations and require emergency surgical procedure.” Dr Singh mentioned the situation causes such signs as stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, and weight reduction.
“The causes of trichophagia are unknown, however some theories counsel it could possibly be because of genetic predisposition, social setting, or neurobiological components,” he mentioned.
Cognitive behavioural remedy is taken into account the simplest remedy for trichotillomania, he mentioned.
Hospital In-charge Dr Alka Sharma mentioned such circumstances of advanced surgical procedure are very uncommon.
“No such case has been reported within the final 20 years,” she mentioned.
In the meantime, the household instructed docs that the lady was hooked on hair pulling and her situation got here to the fore when she began having extreme ache within the abdomen and required CT Scan.
Dr Sharma mentioned the lady is being counselled on the hospital.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by EDNBOX employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)