Puducherry: In a rare and complex medical procedure, a team of surgeons at GEM Hospital Puducherry successfully removed 1.5 kg of human hair from the stomach of a teenaged girl, marking a significant achievement in the field of gastrointestinal surgery.
This unprecedented operation, performed on a 17 year-old young girl, highlights the remarkable skill and precision of the surgical team and underscores the critical importance of timely intervention in unusual medical cases.
The patient had been experiencing severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting for the last couple of months. Initial diagnostic tests revealed a large mass within the stomach, which was later identified as an extensive hairball, or trichobezoar.
Trichobezoars are rare but serious gastrointestinal obstructions caused by the ingestion of hair, a condition often linked to a psychological disorder known as trichotillomania, where individuals have a compulsion to pull out their own hair and swallow it.
“Upon recognizing the gravity of the situation, our multidisciplinary team quickly mobilized to address this critical issue,” Dr. K. Sasikumar, Surgical Gastroenterologist, GEM Hospital, the lead surgeon, told reporters here on Tuesday.
The sheer volume of hair present posed a significant risk to the patient's digestive system and overall health.
"The successful removal of such a large mass is a testament to our team’s expertise and the advanced surgical techniques employed.", he said, adding, the operation, which lasted over 90 minutes involved a detailed and cautious approach to extract the hairball while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues.
He said the surgical team utilized innovative surgical methods, reducing recovery time and postoperative discomfort for the patient. The procedure concluded with the complete removal of the hair mass, restoring the patient’s digestive function and alleviating the severe symptoms”, he added.
Post-surgery, the patient made a remarkable recovery and started taking normal diet from the 3rd day. She was also discharged the same day in a stable condition.
Dr. Sasikumar said “This condition is prevalent in women than men as they generally have long hair and the patient with this condition will feel the urge to pull out their own hair and ingest it. This case underscores the need for awareness about the potential complications of trichotillomania and the importance of seeking medical help when unusual symptoms arise. It is also important for the patient to get the counselling of a psychiatrist to gradually get away from this psychological disorder”.
