title: Rapunzel syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trichobezoars are foreign bodies in gastrointestinal tract, composed of hair. They occur mainly in children and adolescents suffering from trichotillophagia. They commonly occur in the stomach, but as they enlarge over time, they can extend through the pylorus into distal parts of the small intestine resembling a tail. This rare form of trichobezoar is named Rapunzel syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We presented a 19-year-old female patient, who suffered from trichotillomania and trichotillophagia, which led to trichobezoar formation. Intra-abdominal tumour was suspected after initial clinical examination. Abdominal echosonography, endoscopy and abdominal computed tomography (CT scan) in the pre-operational period revealed trichobezoar formation. The patient was operated on and subjected to further psychiatric treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Trichobezoar should be differentially diagnostically taken into consideration in younger women with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, palpable abdominal mass and psychiatric disorders. Most trichobezoar cases require surgical treatment, whereas the patients need long-term psychiatric treatment and monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Clinical Centre Nis, Nis, Serbia. gpetrovicnis@gmail.com
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petrović
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagorni
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bjelaković
authors.forename: Daniela Benedeto
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Stojanov
authors.forename: Biljana Radovanović
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Dinić
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brzacki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001630:Bezoars / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair; D006801:Humans; D013270:Stomach / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult