Woman Hospitalized After Doctors Remove 1.4 kg Hairball from Her Stomach

A 20-year-old woman from Uzbekistan’s Kashkadarya Region has been hospitalized after doctors removed a massive hairball from her stomach. The patient, who suffered from severe abdominal pain and vomiting, had previously undergone surgery for the same condition years earlier. This time, the trichobezoar—a compacted mass of hair, mucus, and food—weighed 1.4 kg and measured 58 cm in length.

The woman was rushed to the hospital after experiencing persistent nausea, vomiting, and intense stomach pain. Medical scans revealed a large foreign object blocking her digestive tract. Upon examination, surgeons found a hardened trichobezoar that had molded to the shape of her stomach, completely obstructing its passage.

The mass had formed over an extended period, as human hair resists stomach acid and fails to break down naturally. Over time, the tangled hair mixed with mucus and food residue, hardening into a dense, stone-like consistency. This caused ulcers in her stomach lining and prevented normal digestion. This was not her first encounter with the condition. She had previously required surgery to remove a similar hairball, indicating an ongoing behavioral disorder. Doctors diagnosed her with trichophagia, a compulsive urge to eat hair, often linked to underlying psychiatric issues. In severe cases, the condition can develop into Rapunzel syndrome, where the hairball extends into the intestines, causing life-threatening blockages. Without long-term psychiatric and psychotherapeutic support, the risk of another relapse remains high.

The patient’s condition is now stable, but she remains under close observation in the hospital. Doctors have stressed the need for comprehensive rehabilitation to address the underlying disorder. Without proper treatment, the likelihood of another dangerous hairball forming stays extremely high.