What is Rapunzel syndrome?
A 17-year-old girl with a decreased appetite, weight loss, and frequent episodes of vomiting was revealed to have been swallowing her own hair for the past two years, resulting in Rapunzel’s Syndrome. The Osmania General Hospital in Telangana has made history by saving a critically malnourished 17-year-old girl with “Rapunzel syndrome,” a rare illness. Due to psychological issues, patients with this disorder tend to eat their own hair.
What Doctors Said
SR Samaddar, a doctor, stated, “This hairball was discovered during an endoscopy. The doctor inquired as to whether she had any facial hair. She couldn’t recall any such occurrence. Those who suffer from mental illnesses may notice symptoms in their bodies from time to time. That is why doctors keep asking the same questions again and over. The girl acknowledges that it’s all about ripping her hair and eating it in the end.”
The Doctor reported that they had learned from their interrogating family member and the Girl that the girl had been doing this at home for the past year without anyone’s notice. The doctors’ team, which included the hospital’s superintendent, Dr. Nagendar B, extracted nearly 2 kg of hair from the patient’s stomach and small bowel, the longest ever reported worldwide.
Immediate Action After Diagnosis
Soon after the cause was discovered, a team of surgeons led by R. Raja Mahendran performed surgery, removing 150 cm of hair weighing approximately 2 kg., 30 cm from the stomach and the remaining 120 cm from the little bowl. Doctor claimed that the pain came from her stomach.
Only 68 Cases in the world so far
“So far, only 68 such cases have been reported worldwide, with the case operated in Osmania General Hospital having the world’s longest such specimen, which went all the way up to the small bowel. Dr. Nagendar explained, “We’ve treated Rapunzel syndrome before at the hospital.”
The Girl Wast Tested COVID Positive
“On June 2nd, the patient was operated on. She’d been visiting the hospital for about a month, complaining of abdominal pain and vomiting. The sister revealed that she had a habit of chewing her own hair in the past. Her treatment could not begin at that time since she had tested positive for Covid. Dr. Pandu Naik, Department of Anesthesia, remarked, “She successfully recovered in the Gandhi Hospital and was transported here for surgery.”
Members in the operation team
The doctors’ largest issue was maintaining the anesthesia in the emaciated woman, who had trouble absorbing nutrients due to hair in her digestive system. Dr. Pandu Naik, Dr. K Rani, Dr. G Anil Kumar, and Dr. Pavan were among the five senior professors from the surgery and anesthesia departments who were involved, along with a number of PG doctors.
Regardless of the way that the young lady is at present sound after the medical procedure. Relatives additionally expressed that watching out for a deranged young lady was not generally practicable. This might have happened on the grounds that she didn’t have the foggiest idea when she was eating her own hair. Relatives likewise expressed that they will consider different alternatives from here on out.