Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2020 Mar-Apr;25(2):112-114.
doi: 10.4103/jiaps.JIAPS_1_19. Epub 2020 Jan 28.

Rapunzel Syndrome in a 3-Year-Old Boy: A Menace too Early to Present

Affiliations
Case Reports

Rapunzel Syndrome in a 3-Year-Old Boy: A Menace too Early to Present

Mritunjay Kumar et al. J Indian Assoc Pediatr Surg. 2020 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Rapunzel syndrome is a rare type of trichobezoar with an extension of the hair into the small bowel. Clinical presentation is deceptive and vague, ranging from asymptomatic abdominal mass to gastrointestinal perforation. There are only few cases reported in literature, with the youngest age being 3 years. We present the case of a 3-year-old male child presenting with Rapunzel syndrome and features of subacute intestinal obstruction.

Keywords: Children; Rapunzel; gastric; trichobezoar.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Visible abdominal mass (marked)
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Exploratory laparotomy with gastrostomy showing large abdominal mass. (b) Large trichobezoars taking the shape of the stomach with a large tail

References

    1. Gorter RR, Kneepkens CM, Mattens EC, Aronson DC, Heij HA. Management of trichobezoar: Case report and literature review. Pediatr Surg Int. 2010;26:457–63. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Gupta A, Mittal D, Srinivas M. Gastric trichobezoars in children: Surgical overview. Int J Trichology. 2017;9:50–3. - PMC - PubMed
    1. George SV, Samarasam I, Mathew G, Chandran S. A hairy tail not a fairy tale – Rapunzel syndrome. Indian J Surg. 2013;75:80–1. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Al Wadan AH, Al Kaff H, Al Senabani J, Al Saadi AS. 'Rapunzel syndrome' trichobezoar in a 7-year-old girl: A case report. Cases J. 2008;1:205. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Jain M, Solanki SL, Bhatnagar A, Jain PK. An unusual case report of Rapunzel syndrome trichobezoar in a 3-year-old boy. Int J Trichology. 2011;3:102–4. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types