Case report demonstrates successful surgical extraction of a giant gastric trichobezoar in a young female, highlighting the need for psychiatric follow-up to prevent recurrence.
Gastric trichobezoar is an uncommon cause of gastric outlet obstruction and is frequently associated with unrecognized body-focused repetitive behaviors. We report a 21-year-old female who presented with a 6-week history of epigastric pain aggravated by meals, postprandial non-bilious vomiting, and anorexia with weight loss. Cross-sectional imaging demonstrated a large heterogeneous intragastric intraluminal mass with a characteristic mottled gas pattern, extending through the pylorus into the first part of the duodenum. The patient underwent open removal via anterior gastrotomy with successful extraction of a hard trichobezoar and had an uncomplicated recovery, being discharged on postoperative day 4. This case highlights the need for a high index of suspicion for bezoar in young females with upper gastrointestinal obstructive symptoms and epigastric mass and emphasizes the importance of psychiatric/behavioral assessment to reduce recurrence.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Soren et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: