title: Unusual cause of palpable mass in upper abdomen--giant gastric trichobezoar: report of a case.
abstract: A trichobezoar is a ball of swallowed hair that accumulates in the stomach and fails to pass through the intestines. Usually a trichobezoar presents in early satiety and malnutrition. Obstructive symptoms and manifestations of gastric outlet obstruction may occur. While small gastric trichobezoars may be removed via gastroscopy, large trichobezoars require surgical removal by gastrotomy through abdominal incision. We present a case of a successful mini-laparotomy removal of a giant gastric trichobezoar in a 15-year-old girl with a history of trichophagia for a long time and marginal psychological disturbances.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Split and Split University School of Medicine, Split, Croatia. zenon@vip.hr
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pogorelić
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jurić
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zitko
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Britvić-Pavlov
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biocić
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001630:Bezoars / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000379:methods; D013270:Stomach / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome