On 3/7, Doctor Pham Nguyen Hien Nhan from the General Surgery Department of Children's Hospital 2, reported that an abdominal ultrasound revealed a cyst-like mass, about 3 cm in diameter, within the boy's intestines, suggesting a foreign body obstruction. The family mentioned the boy often played with water-absorbing beads, a type of toy that expands when soaked in water.
Given the critical situation, Doctor Ho Van Anh Dung, the head of the surgical team, immediately called for emergency surgery. The team discovered the obstruction was caused by an expanding bead completely blocking the ileum (the final section of the small intestine). The surgeons removed the bead and restored normal digestive flow. The child recovered well post-surgery and resumed eating.
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The expanding bead removed during surgery. Photo: Hospital provided |
The expanding bead removed during surgery. Photo: Hospital provided
According to Doctor Nhan, water-absorbing beads, also known as expanding beads, water beads, or water gel beads, are typically made from a superabsorbent polymer. They are widely used in various fields due to their excellent water absorption and retention properties. Although they resemble jelly and are visually appealing, these beads are not edible. Swallowing them can have serious consequences, especially for young children.
These beads can expand 100 to 300 times their original size when they absorb water, especially in the small intestine, which secretes about 1.5 to 2 liters of digestive fluids daily. As the bead travels through the digestive tract, it continues to expand. It can easily get lodged in the ileum, the narrowest part of the intestine, causing a mechanical bowel obstruction.
Doctor Pham Ngoc Thach, Deputy Director of Children's Hospital 2, advises parents to pay closer attention to the types of toys their children use, particularly those that pose a high risk of being put in the mouth or swallowed, such as water-absorbing beads and toy magnets. Proactive prevention can help reduce the risk of such unfortunate accidents.
Le Phuong
