Spoon stuck in man's esophagus for a year
Through endoscopy, doctors discovered the spoon that patient Zhang (China) had swallowed a year ago.
According toLive Science, Zhang swallowed a spoon during a mental breakdown in 2017. Feeling no discomfort, the patient did not seek medical attention until late October.
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X-ray results showed the spoon stuck in Zhang's body. Photo:Xinjiang Meikuang General Hospital. |
Zhang was admitted to Xinjiang Meikuang General Hospital, where he was found holding his chest and in extreme pain. He said he had just been punched in the chest. Test results showed a metal foreign object stuck in the patient's esophagus. Doctors used endoscopy to find the spoon covered in mucus. "I was shocked. I have never seen anything like this before," said Dr. Yu Xiwu, head of the ENT Department at Meikuang General Hospital.
The medical team determined that the foreign object could be life-threatening and needed to be removed immediately. On October 22, doctors operated on Zhang. After two hours of surgery, the 20-centimeter spoon was safely removed. Zhang was discharged two days later.
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A 20cm long spoon was removed from Zhang's esophagus. Photo:Xinjiang Meikuang General Hospital. |
Up to now, world medical literature has recorded many cases of swallowing foreign objects such as lighters and dentures, mainly due to accidents or temporary loss of judgment. Some people repeatedly swallow dangerous objects on purpose. In 2016, a 42-year-old man swallowed 40 knives in two months because he liked the taste of knives.
