A 17-year-old girl, Khushi Gautam, recently made headlines after a remarkable medical case involving a 16 cm long mass of hair was discovered in her stomach. This unusual incident has garnered significant attention, leaving even medical professionals astonished.
Khushi, from Amdar village in Sindhauli district, had been suffering from severe stomach pain, restlessness, and persistent vomiting for several days. Her family took her to the Government Medical College in Shahjahanpur, where doctors conducted a series of tests to diagnose her condition. A CT scan revealed a Trichobezoar—a large mass of ingested hair—inside her stomach. This discovery led to an urgent surgical intervention.
During the operation, the surgical team, led by Dr Vibhor Jain, Head of the Surgery Department, with Dr Aditya Kumar Singh and Dr Gaurav, Head of the Anaesthesia Department, found a substantial clump of hair lodged in her intestine. This mass was causing significant health problems, including the severe symptoms Khushi had been experiencing.
Dr Pooja Tripathi, a professor at the medical college, explained that initially, the medical team suspected Khushi might have kidney stones. However, the CT scan revealed the true cause—an extensive accumulation of hair in her stomach. Dr Tripathi noted that such cases are exceptionally rare and attributed Khushi’s condition to her compulsive habit of consuming her hair, a condition known as Trichotillomania. This behaviour led to the formation of the hairball in her digestive tract.
Khushi’s parents revealed that she had a history of eating her hair, which ultimately resulted in the formation of the Trichobezoar. The successful surgery resolved her symptoms, and Khushi’s condition has since improved. This case underscores the health risks associated with Trichotillomania and highlights the need for early intervention and treatment for compulsive behaviours to prevent severe medical complications.
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