Medical Professionals Extracted a 2-Pound Hair Mass from a Woman's Abdomen
Ecuadorian medical professionals at Verdi Cevallos Balda General Hospital recounted an extraordinary event involving a 24-year-old patient. During a 45-minute procedure, they managed to extract a colossal clump of hair from her stomach, relieving her of an especially concerning predicament. This humongous hairball had grown to such a size that its presence could be felt externally.
The healthcare providers shared their account in an official document, revealing that the hairball had accumulated inside her stomach over a minimum of two years. The build-up of hair had led to severe abdominal pain, frequent vomiting, and progressive deterioration in her ability to eat solids and liquids. Consequently, she had been experiencing notable weight loss due to her food intake becoming significantly limited.
The gigantic hairball removed from the patient's stomach. ©Verdi Cevallos Balda General Hospital
The mass extracted by the medical team was measured at 16 inches in length and weighed in at a hefty 2 pounds. The hair had grown so voluminous that it began infiltrating her intestines. Technically known as a bezoar, the medical community uses this term to describe any accumulation of foreign material that becomes trapped within an individual's body, typically found within the digestive tract and often composed of ingested hair or fiber.
Lead surgeon Pedro Lovato provided an official statement from the hospital (translated using Google) regarding the extraction, stating, "It was a mass that dominated the entire gastric cavity, even identifiable by touch from the outside."
The report fails to delve deeply into the reasons behind the woman's excessive hair consumption. However, Lovato indicated that the patient was diagnosed with a psychological condition. Hairy bezoars have been linked to trichophagia, a type of disordered eating in which individuals have an uncontrollable urge to ingest their own hair. This particular condition is also known as Rapunzel syndrome, drawing inspiration from the long-haired fairy tale character. Trichophagia is often accompanied by trichotillomania, an impulse to remove one's own hair.
According to the doctors, the operation allowed the woman to avert the threat of starvation-related mortality and prevented potentially severe internal injuries to her stomach. Upon her discharge from the hospital, she reportedly received comprehensive post-treatment care.
The medical community is now exploring future treatments to prevent such incidents, leveraging advancements in science and technology. With the understanding that psychological factors often contribute to hair-related digestive issues, more holistic approaches combining therapy and medication may offer better outcomes.
Given the sheer size of the extracted hairball, further research could help develop technology to monitor and detect such issues at an early stage, potentially saving lives and improving overall health outcomes.
