Abstract

A RARE AND UNUSUAL PRESENTATION OF ABDOMINAL PAIN IN YOUNG ADOLESCENTS. CASE SERIES AND REVIEW

*Waseem Raja, Rohey Jan, Rifat Khan, Sabiya Gul, Hilal Wani, Salma Maryam

Abstract

Trichobezoars are an uncommon cause of acute abdominal pain. A bezoar refers to a mass of undigestible foreign material found in the gastrointestinal tract, mainly stomach. The second most common bezoar is the trichobezoar, which usually occurs in the young psychiatric female patients with history of trichotillomania and trichophagia. We reported a case of a 16 year-old young psychiatric female patient with frontal patchy alopecia admitted with history of recurrent abdominal pain, vomiting abdominal distension and weight loss. Endoscopy confirmed a large hair ball occupying whole of the stomach and CT abdomen was also suggestive of trichobezoar. Laproscopic surgery was done and long hair ball with tail was removed in piecemeals. Another case we reported was a 18 year old male known case of Mental retardation and seizure disorder on antiepleptics, who presented with recurrent abdominal pain and hemetemesis - endoscopy revealed multiple metallic Nails inside stomach with erosions and was successfully removed by raw tooth forcep without any complications. Thus, trichobezoar should be considered as differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in a young psychiatric female patients. Conclusions: Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial, but not always sufficient to avoid serious complications. Further research is needed to increase knowledge regarding the etiology and treatment of this psychiatric condition.

Keywords: Bezoar, trichobezoar, trichophagia, hair ball, hemetemesis, metallic nails.