In a rare procedure, doctors at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur successfully removed a nine-inch toothpick from the food pipe of an 80-year-old man after a one-hour surgery.
The patient, identified as Kamaraju Nayak from Natanga village under Belaguntha block in Ganjam district, had accidentally swallowed the toothpick while cleaning his teeth last Wednesday morning.
Following the incident, he suffered from severe pain and had to be admitted to the hospital. The toothpick had remained stuck inside the food pipe for almost a week, causing constant discomfort and preventing the intake of food. Moreover, the patient had survived without meals during this period due to the obstruction.
Medical Team Used Oesophagoscope Technique
According to reports, a specialised team from the ENT department conducted the operation using the oesophagoscope technique.
Doctors said the procedure was particularly challenging as the patient had high blood pressure, which made the administration of anaesthesia risky. Despite these complications, the surgical team successfully retrieved the lodged toothpick from the oesophagus. Post-surgery, hospital authorities confirmed that the patient’s condition remained stable.
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Patient Brought To Hospital After Days Of Pain
Sources reported that family members had initially sought treatment at other medical centres, but with no relief, they finally admitted the patient to MKCG Medical College on Monday.
After preliminary examinations, the ENT team confirmed the presence of the foreign object and prepared for immediate surgical intervention. Unfortunately, earlier attempts by the family to remove the toothpick had failed, which worsened the patient’s difficulty in swallowing food.
Following the successful removal, the patient is under observation, and doctors expect a steady recovery.