Fatal Rapunzel Syndrome

Abstract

We report a rare case of a young child, younger than10 years, who died of complications related to trichophagia and multiple gastrointestinal trichobezoars. One year before death, the child's clinical history yielded a diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia, believed to be related to poor diet, and alopecia areata, the etiology of which was unknown. Two weeks before death, the child presented with complaints of intermittent “flu-like” symptoms and vomiting. The child reported abdominal pain, anorexia, and fatigue on the night before death. The next morning, the child ate breakfast and was subsequently discovered unresponsive. On external examination, there were areas of thinning head hair. Postmortem computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and internal examination revealed 3 distinct trichobezoars, occupying the stomach, jejunum, and ileum. This was complicated by small bowel obstructions and perforations due to the trichobezoars. The cause of death was peritonitis secondary to small bowel perforations due to small bowel obstruction with multiple trichobezoars. This is the first case report to demonstrate the utility of postmortem computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in characterizing the nature and extent of trichobezoars in a fatal case of Rapunzel syndrome.