Telogen Effluvium after Anesthesia and Surgery

The document reports a case of telogen effluvium, a condition characterized by diffuse thinning of scalp hair, following anesthesia and surgery. A 35-year-old woman experienced significant hair loss confined to the scalp one month after undergoing a splenectomy for autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The hair loss continued for two months, resulting in the shedding of approximately 50% of her scalp hair. However, hair growth resumed three months post-operation, and after six months, there was no detectable hair loss. The patient had a history of various medical conditions and surgeries, and was on a high dose of prednisone, which was significantly reduced post-surgery. The case illustrates that anesthesia and surgery can be physiological stressors that trigger telogen effluvium, but complete hair regrowth can be expected without the need for specific treatment. This case is unique as it documents telogen effluvium after anesthesia and surgery, a phenomenon not widely reported in the literature at the time.