Rapunzel Syndrome: Girl’s 1kg Hair Mass Removed From Stomach, Small Intestine In Kerala Hospital

representative image | Photo credit: The Hindu

In a rare surgical procedure at a private hospital in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, authorities on Saturday removed 1 kg of hair from the stomach and small intestine of a nine-year-old girl.

The girl, who was diagnosed with Rapunzel syndrome, underwent surgery at NIMS Medicity in nearby Neyyattinkara, they said.

She was admitted to the hospital with persistent abdominal pain and vomiting, the hospital said in a statement. An ultrasound and CT scan revealed a severe intestinal obstruction, and a subsequent endoscopy confirmed a large mass of hair accumulated in the stomach and small intestine.

The hairball was completely removed through a complex surgical procedure led by Dr. Biju IG Nair, a senior consultant in the pediatric surgery department at the hospital. The girl recovered well, started eating normally and was discharged, the doctor said.

Dr. Nair said a trichobezoar, or hairball, occurs when a person repeatedly pulls out and swallows hair. Swallowed hair cannot be digested and can gradually build up in the stomach, forming a hard mass that can cause intestinal obstruction over time, he said.

Rare condition

Rapunzel syndrome is an extremely rare condition where the trichobezoar extends from the stomach into the small intestine. According to the medical literature, it usually occurs in teenage girls. Hospital authorities said fewer than 100 cases had been reported worldwide.

Published – October 3, 2026 11:19 AM IST