An hour-long, high-risk surgery was performed on an 80-year-old man who swallowed a toothpick while brushing his teeth.
In a rare and intricate treatment that took almost an hour, doctors in India were able to safely extract a 9-inch toothpick from an 80-year-old man’s oesophagus. While brushing his teeth, the patient inadvertently swallowed the object, which caused excruciating pain and swallowing difficulties. He went almost a week without eating.
The procedure was performed by a specialized ENT team, according to hospital sources. Because of the patient’s elevated blood pressure, administering anesthesia was especially dangerous. Nonetheless, the medical staff handled the situation carefully and extracted the toothpick without any issues.
