[Trichobezoar as a rare cause of ileus of the small intestine].

For several weeks a 15-year-old girl had complained of increasing abdominal pain with vomiting. On admission to hospital the bloated abdomen was diffusely sensitive to pressure and the bowel sounds were high pitched and loud. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was increased to 23/40 mm and the white cell count to 12,000/microliters. Ultrasound examination revealed an echo-dense area with dorsal echo loss at the gastric side of the pylorus. X-ray films of the stomach showed fluid levels and a soft-tissue mass in the left upper abdomen. At laparotomy a large (12 x 6 cm) trichobezoar was found in the middle of the small intestine and two smaller ones at the pylorus. Subsequently the patient admitted to trichophagia but refused any psychological treatment.