title: The Rapunzel syndrome: a hard-to-swallow tale.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rapunzel syndrome is a rare entity comprising of a large gastroduodenal trichobezoar due to trichotillomania. Its treatment is often surgical.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 27-year-old patient was investigated after an upper gastro-intestinal tract obstruction. Computed tomography and endoscopy showed a large gastric trichobezoar with a duodenojejunal tail. Conservative treatments failed to remove the bezoar. We performed a short laparotomy which allowed the removal of the bezoar through a longitudinal gastrotomy. Postoperative course was uneventful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Hôpital Nord, Chemin des Bourrely, 13915, Marseille cedex 20, France. thierry.bege@ap-hm.fr
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bège
authors.forename: Ariadne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desjeux
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coquet-Reinier
authors.forename: Stéphane V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Berdah
authors.forename: Jean-Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Grimaud
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brunet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001630:Bezoars / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D004386:Duodenum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D007583:Jejunum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D013270:Stomach / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000150:complications