How common is Rapunzel syndrome?

How common is Rapunzel syndrome?

Rapunzel syndrome is extremely rare, with less than 64 cases reported since 1968. It is more common in young or adolescent females.

How common are trichobezoars?

Trichobezoars. Trichobezoars occur predominantly (up to 90%) in females under the age of 20, and often in children. They have been described in children as young as 1 year old.

How can Rapunzel syndrome be prevented?

However, Rapunzel syndrome is most often an intraoperative finding. Surgical removal is the gold standard treatment of choice. Parental counselling, neuropsychiatric assessment and treatment, long-term follow-up and behavioural therapy are advocated as a regular part of treatment to prevent recurrence.

How is Rapunzel syndrome diagnosed?

The diagnosis of Rapunzel syndrome is possible via imaging, and endoscopy is a direct and accurate diagnostic method. In terms of treatment, laparotomy remains superior to laparoscopic surgery. After the surgical removal of trichobezoars, long-term follow-up combined with psychiatric consultation is recommended.

What’s the Rapunzel syndrome?

The Rapunzel syndrome is an unusual form of trichobezoar found in patients with a history of psychiatric disorders, trichotillomania (habit of hair pulling) and trichophagia (morbid habit of chewing the hair), consequently developing gastric bezoars. The principal symptoms are vomiting and epigastric pain.

Is Rapunzel syndrome rare?

Rapunzel syndrome is an extremely rare condition seen in adolescents or young females with psychiatric disorders consisting of a gastric trichobezoar with an extension within the small bowel. The delays in diagnosis are common since in its early stages, it is usually asymptomatic.

Is Rapunzel a syndrome?

Can humans have hair balls?

Although uncommon in humans, some hairballs have been reported. These hairballs occur when hair strands collect in the stomach and are unable to be ejected as a result of the friction on the surface of the gastric mucosa. Hairballs are often seen in young girls as a result of trichophagia, trichotillomania, and pica.

Does Rapunzel mean lettuce?

Some translations of the Grimms’ story have rapunzel as rampion, which is a European bellflower that’s commonly used in salad, but the German word rapunzel refers to lamb’s lettuce. In late 2010, Disney released a film adaptation of Rapunzel, called Tangled.

Does Rapunzel have a disorder?

In the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, the trapped Rapunzel lets down her long hair through a tower window so a prince can climb up and rescue her. Named after this tale, Rapunzel syndrome is an extremely rare medical condition where hairs the person has eaten become tangled and trapped in their stomach.

Why do people hate hair in their food?

Ingesting hair is just not healthy. Human hair is made up of the protein keratin, which also makes up the outer layer of the skin and nails. In itself, keratin might not pose a problem. But the truth is that, besides making you feel nauseated, hair can lead to contamination in foods.