[Intestinal trichobezoar: differential diagnosis in children with an abdominal mass].

Due to it's rare appearance, the intestinal trichobezoar is usually not considered as a differential diagnosis of abdominal masses seen in children. A case of a 10 year old girl with a five month evolved inferior hemi-abdominal mass is cited. The girl appeared severely ill and within 24 hours of her physical examination, showed signs and symptoms of an intestinal obstruction. She was admitted to surgery with the diagnosis of a non Hodgkin lymphoma. Due to its' presentation, we may have even supposed it to be a case of Rapunzel syndrome which grew within the intestine causing obstruction or which may have initially grown in the terminal ileum. The medical literature is reviewed.