Haarbol

Haarbol is the Dutch term for a hairball, a compact mass of ingested hair and other materials that forms within the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly in the stomach. In medical terminology the condition in humans is called a trichobezoar; in animals it is often referred to as a hairball or gastric trichobezoar. Bezoars are classified by composition, with trichobezoars comprising hair, phytobezoars comprising plant matter, and other varieties.

Formation occurs when hair is ingested and accumulates over time, mixing with mucus, food particles, and other substances to form a cohesive mass. Hair is resistant to digestion and can aggregate in the stomach or intestines. In humans, trichobezoars are associated with trichophagia and sometimes trichotillomania. In animals, routine grooming and the ingestion of loose fur during grooming contribute to hairball development.

Symptoms vary from none to signs of gastrointestinal distress, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, early satiety, or weight loss. Serious complications can include gastric outlet obstruction, ulceration, or perforation in rare cases. Diagnosis is based on clinical presentation and imaging; ultrasound, X-ray, or CT can reveal a mass, and endoscopy provides direct visualization and may allow removal.

Treatment depends on size and location. Small hairballs may be managed endoscopically or medically; larger ones often require endoscopic extraction or surgical removal. In animals, treatment includes grooming to reduce fur ingestion, dietary modifications, hairball remedies, laxatives, and, if obstruction occurs, surgery.

Prevention focuses on reducing hair ingestion through grooming, dietary management, and addressing underlying behavioral conditions in humans. See also bezoar and trichobezoar.