Rapunzel syndrome in children: a retrospective review of ten cases combined with literature review in a tertiary referral center
Topic overview
This retrospective study of 10 pediatric Rapunzel syndrome cases (median age 9.1 years, all female) found that 60% presented with serious complications including bowel obstruction and perforation. Ultrasound showed high diagnostic accuracy, but endoscopic removal failed in all attempts, making laparotomy the preferred treatment approach with excellent outcomes and no recurrence.
Key takeaways
- Rapunzel syndrome predominantly affects female children (median age 9.1 years) and presents with abdominal mass, pain, and vomiting.
- Complications occur in 60% of cases, including bowel obstruction, perforation, and pancreatitis requiring prompt surgical intervention.
- Ultrasound has high diagnostic accuracy when combined with clinical history; endoscopic removal has low success rates in pediatric cases.
- Laparotomy with gastric incision is the safe, effective treatment of choice given high complication rates and endoscopic failure.
- All patients in this series recovered well post-surgery with no recurrence, supporting early surgical management over conservative approaches.
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How to cite: GlobalCastMD. Rapunzel syndrome in children: a retrospective review of ten cases combined with literature review in a tertiary referral center. GlobalCastMD Medical Library. 2024-05-04. https://dev.library.globalcastmd.com/article/8578?via_space=staycurrentmd
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