On 9/1, doctors at Dong Nai General Hospital successfully removed a toothbrush from the esophagus of a 49-year-old woman from Nhon Trach commune. The patient had accidentally swallowed the toothbrush last night while attempting to induce vomiting after experiencing nausea and discomfort during dinner.

According to family members, the woman felt unwell, experiencing symptoms akin to food poisoning. In an attempt to alleviate her discomfort, she used a toothbrush to induce vomiting. However, she inadvertently swallowed the brush, prompting her family to rush her to the hospital for emergency care.

The toothbrush removed from the female patient's esophagus. Photo: _Thai Ha_

Following an endoscopy, doctors successfully extracted the foreign object. Imaging showed the toothbrush positioned vertically in her esophagus. Fortunately, timely emergency intervention prevented any esophageal bleeding, a potential complication of such an incident. "This is a rare case of foreign object ingestion in a normal, conscious person," a doctor noted.

Doctors strongly advise individuals to exercise caution while eating and drinking to avoid accidentally swallowing foreign objects. Should such an incident occur, patients must seek professional medical assistance for safe endoscopic removal. They warn against attempting to dislodge the object independently, as this could cause perforation or bleeding in the digestive tract, posing a life-threatening risk.

Phuoc Tuan