A case of contained jejunal perforation secondary to trichobezoar in a 65-year-old woman

Abstract

Bezoars are conglomerations of undigested foreign material retained in the gastrointestinal tract. Trichobezoars consist of swallowed hair and constitute less than 6% of all bezoars. We present a case of jejunal trichobezoar with an intra-abdominal mass and contained jejunal perforation with a localized abscess in a 65-year-old female patient. She was scanned with contrast-enhanced abdominal CT. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy with removal of the mass, abscess drainage, and jejunal resection with end-to-end anastomosis.  Trichobezoars should be considered in the differential diagnosis of an intra-abdominal mass in older patients like ours. We are reporting this case as trichobezoar is a rare condition and it is even rarer in a 65-year-old woman without an underlying risk factor. So, we hope this will create some awareness among physicians of the condition.