Story By: Anastasia Smirnova, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency:  Newsflash

Newsflash/@dgbspc

This is the shocking moment a one-metre long hairball is pulled out of the stomach of a five-year-old girl with Rapunzel syndrome.

The young girl, whose name has not been disclosed, was taken to a children’s hospital in the city of Nizhnekamsk in the south-western Russian republic of Tatarstan with severe stomach pains.

Before being hospitalised, the five-year-old girl had been suffering with an intense bellyache and vomiting episodes.

After carrying out a series of tests, doctors decided they had to operate on the young patient.

During surgery, they discovered a one-metre-long hairball in the girl’s stomach and duodenum, part of the small intestine.

Medics said the hairball weighed around 300 grammes (11 ounces).

According to reports, the girl is currently feeling much better and she will soon be allowed to go home.

Head surgeon Alexei Spiridonov explained that the habit of eating one’s own hair occurs mostly with young girls.

Trichophagia is the compulsive eating of hair, and Rapunzel syndrome is a rare intestinal condition resulting from ingesting hair.

Spiridonov urged parents to be more attentive with their children to avoid similar situations in the future.

Netizen ‘AlsuMinazalova’ said: “Good job doctors.”

‘Lenochka060793’ commented: “This is a good example of what not to do. I am a hairdresser and I will show this to my younger clients and hopefully they will stop chewing on their hair.”

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