On 5/8, a 14-year-old boy sought medical attention at the Dakrong Regional Medical Center due to breathing difficulties, blood discharge from his nose, and the sensation of something moving inside.

The leech extracted from the patient's nose. Photo: Dakrong Regional Medical Center

An endoscopy revealed a moving foreign object in the boy's left nostril. Doctors successfully removed the object, which turned out to be a 4 cm leech engorged with blood. The patient is now stable, with no further bleeding, breathing problems, or nasal pain.

The boy's family explained that he had been swimming in a stream 10 days earlier, which is likely how the leech entered his nose. They brought him to the medical center after he began experiencing pain and nosebleeds caused by the leech.

The Dakrong Regional Medical Center advises residents, especially children, to exercise caution when swimming in streams or rivers to prevent parasites like leeches from entering the body through the nose or mouth. If any unusual symptoms occur, they should seek immediate medical attention. They strongly discourage attempts to remove such objects at home, as this could push them further in or damage the airway.

Dac Thanh