TITLE:
An unusual cause of gastric outlet obstruction in a young girl: Trichobezoar
AUTHORS:
Mahdi Bouassida, Hédi Charrada, Mohamed Fadhel Chtourou, Lamine Hamzaoui, Mohamed Monji Mighri, Mohamed Msaddak Azzouz, Hassen Touinsi, Sadok Sassi
KEYWORDS:
Trichobezoar; Young Children; Gastric Outlet Obstruction; Trichotillomania
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Gastroenterology,
Vol.2 No.4,
November
30,
2012
ABSTRACT: Trichobezoars are an infrequent form of bezoars formed from ingested hair. They are more common in adolescent females with history of trichotillomania. Exceptionally, it can occur in young children making the diagnosis difficult. We report the case of a 6-year-old girl with a history of abdominal pain, distension, weight loss, and attacks of vomiting. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a trichobezoar occupying almost the whole gastric cavity. The gastric bezoar was removed by surgery. Gastric trichobezoar is exceptional in young children and can lead to stunting and gastric outlet obstruction. After definitive surgical or endoscopic treatment, pediatric psychiatric consultation should be opted for any mental disorder and for prevention of further recurrence.