A nine-year-old girl in Kerala underwent rare surgery after doctors removed a one-kilogram mass of hair from her stomach and small intestine. The girl had been admitted to a private hospital near Thiruvananthapuram with persistent abdominal pain and vomiting.
Doctors at NIMS Medicity in Neyyattinkara diagnosed her with Rapunzel syndrome, a rare condition in which a mass of swallowed hair, known as a trichobezoar, extends from the stomach into the small intestine.
Ultrasound and CT scans showed severe intestinal obstruction. An endoscopy subsequently confirmed a large accumulation of hair in the stomach and small intestine. Doctors then performed a complex surgical procedure to remove the hairball completely.
The surgery was led by a senior consultant in paediatric surgery. According to hospital authorities, the girl recovered well after the procedure, resumed eating normally and was discharged from the hospital.
Rapunzel syndrome is associated with repeated hair-pulling and hair-eating behaviour. Since human hair cannot be digested, repeated ingestion can cause hair to accumulate in the stomach and form a dense mass. In severe cases, the mass can extend into the intestine and cause an obstruction.
The condition is considered extremely rare and is most commonly reported in adolescent girls. Hospital authorities said fewer than 100 cases have been reported worldwide, highlighting the unusual nature of the case.

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