Resumen

SCHAERER, Pablo et al. Unusual presentation of an abdominal mass due to a gastric trichobezoar in an older infant: a case report. Pediatr. (Asunción) [online]. 2026, vol.53, n.1, pp.96-99. ISSN 1683-9803.  https://doi.org/10.31698/ped.53012026012.

We present the case of a 2-year-old female patient who was brought to the pediatric emergency department of the Central Hospital of the Social Security Institute (IPS) with a one-month history of abdominal pain, weight loss, and an abdominal mass. The mother reported that the child was ingesting her own hair, leading to suspicion of a trichobezoar. After initial ineffective treatment for parasitosis, a CT scan revealed an inhomogeneous mass in the gastric cavity, suggesting mechanical obstruction by a trichobezoar. An exploratory laparotomy was performed, and the trichobezoar was removed via gastrostomy. Postoperatively, the patient was treated with antibiotics and made a full recovery. She was discharged five days later with psychiatric follow-up to address the hair-ingestion habit. This case highlights the importance of considering trichobezoars in the differential diagnosis of abdominal masses, even at unusual ages, to avoid diagnostic delays and associated complications.

Palabras clave : Bezoar; gastric trichobezoar; infant; Rapunzel syndrome.

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