Drunk man swallows key
Chang, 26 years old, China, can't remember why after drinking alcohol he swallowed both the key and plastic keychain into his stomach.
On June 7, Mr. Chang, from Guangdong, went out drinking with friends to celebrate the end of a work week. When he got home at midnight, he was so drunk that he forgot where his keys were, called his family to open the door for him, and then went straight to bed.
The next morning, after sobering up, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and went to the hospital. An X-ray revealed a foreign object resembling a key in the patient's esophagus.
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X-ray film of the key in the patient's esophagus. Photo:Sohu |
After analyzing, the doctors realized that if the key passed through the digestive system and out naturally, it would be too dangerous because it could tear the intestines or cause intestinal obstruction. The doctors tried to use an endoscope to remove the key, but the plan failed because the key was too large to pass through the narrowest part of the esophagus near the throat.
"The best way in this case is to perform anesthesia and then surgery," said Dr. Zhang Yuyu.
It was the weekend so most of the doctors were home. Luckily, an anesthesiologist and the deputy head of the gastroenterology department at the hospital agreed to come back to the hospital to perform the surgery.
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The key after being taken out. Photo:Sohu |
The surgical team anesthetized the patient and used a drug to relax the esophagus, allowing the key and plastic keychain to be removed. To this day, Mr. Chang cannot remember how he swallowed the key.