Chinese Man’s 20-Year Stomach Pain ： Thermometer Removed After 2 Decades

A 32-year-old Wenzhou man had a thermometer in his duodenum for ~20 years after swallowing it at age 12. Doctors removed it via emergency surgery to prevent perforation & bleeding.

Tags:

• Foreign Object Swallowing
• Medical Emergency
• Wenzhou China
• Childhood Accident
• Intestinal Health Risk

A 32-year-old man in eastern China was shocked to learn that a thermometer he accidentally swallowed as a child had remained inside his body for around two decades.

The man, from Wenzhou in Zhejiang province, went to hospital after developing stomach pain. During medical examinations, doctors found a thermometer lodged in his duodenum, which is part of the small intestine. After the discovery, he recalled swallowing it when he was about 12 years old, but said he had been too frightened to tell his parents at the time. Because he did not feel obvious discomfort back then, the incident was never properly addressed.

Doctors warned that the object had become dangerous because its tip was pressing against the intestinal wall. That created a risk of perforation and internal bleeding if it remained in place. Surgeons then carried out an emergency procedure to remove it. Reports said the operation took about 20 minutes, and the thermometer was removed intact, although the measurement markings had faded over time.

Medical staff said cases involving swallowed foreign objects should always be treated seriously, even if symptoms do not appear immediately. They advised people not to eat or drink after such an incident and to seek urgent medical attention as soon as possible. One report added that large numbers of foreign-object swallowing cases are treated every year in China, with children accounting for a major share.

The case drew attention online because of how long the object had remained hidden inside the man’s body without being discovered. It also served as a reminder that childhood accidents can sometimes lead to unexpected health risks years later.

Source:https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3349537/chinese-man-32-suffers-stomach-pain-discovers-thermometer-swallowed-child-still-inside-him?pgtype=live