Laparoscopic removal of a large gastric trichobezoar

A large trichobezoar has been traditionally removed by open surgery, which has entailed an upper abdominal incision. With the advent of laparoscopic surgery, it became feasible to retrieve a foreign body from the stomach without the necessity of a large skin incision in the upper abdomen. A 7-year-old girl presenting with abdominal pain, nausea, and appetite loss was admitted and evaluated. Results of an upper gastrointestinal series showed a large mass in the stomach that extended into the duodenum. Endoscopical removal had been tried twice under general anesthesia and resulted only in the retrieval of the small portion of the trichobezoar in the duodenum; total removal seemed impossible with endoscopic techniques, Laparoscopic removal was then undertaken to avoid the surgical scar in the upper abdomen. The trichobezoar was successfully retrieved through a gastrotomy and removed via a small suprapubic incision. This approach may be the treatment of choice for future cases of trichobezoar when surgery is indicated. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.