World · India Bureau
Delhi surgeons remove massive hairball from young woman's stomach
A 20-year-old woman in Delhi underwent emergency surgery after doctors discovered a 1.16-kilogram hairball lodged in her stomach. The unusual mass resulted from a decade-long habit of consuming hair, a condition known as trichotillomania.
LSN India ·
Medical teams at a Delhi hospital were startled to find the sizeable hairball during surgery on the young patient, who had been experiencing severe gastrointestinal distress. The accumulated mass, weighing over one kilogram, had formed over approximately 11 years of compulsive hair-eating behaviour.
Trichotillomania, the condition characterized by recurrent hair-pulling and consumption, can lead to serious complications when hairballs accumulate in the digestive tract. In severe cases such as this, surgical intervention becomes necessary to remove the obstruction and prevent further damage to the stomach and intestines.
The case has drawn attention from medical professionals in the region to the potentially harmful effects of untreated trichotillomania. While the condition is often associated with anxiety, stress, or other psychological factors, patients may not immediately report symptoms or seek treatment, allowing hairballs to accumulate over extended periods.
The patient's successful surgical removal of the hairball marks the conclusion of a lengthy medical ordeal. Healthcare experts continue to emphasize the importance of early intervention and psychological support for individuals exhibiting hair-pulling or hair-eating behaviours.