A 7cm long toothpick was found in a baby boy's stomach for more than 4 months.

The foreign object was a sharp toothpick that was removed - Photo: Provided by the hospital

On the morning of May 24, Children's Hospital 2 (HCMC) announced that it had just treated a rare case. A 12-year-old boy named TVGB, from Binh Duong province, had a 7cm long toothpick stuck in his stomach for more than 4 months.

Previously, baby B. had left-sided abdominal pain and fever that lasted for several months. According to information from the family, the boy began to experience left-sided abdominal pain and fever in January 2025. When he was taken to the local hospital, the doctor discovered that the patient had fluid accumulation around the spleen.

The patient said he had a strong impact while swimming. The doctor suspected an injury so the patient was diagnosed with a spleen injury and treated conservatively.

On the occasion of returning home for Tet, the family took the baby to a large hospital in the countryside for a follow-up examination. The ultrasound results showed that there was still a little fluid around the spleen. The baby was prescribed medication and continued to be monitored at home.

However, on May 11, the patient suddenly had a high fever again with severe abdominal pain and had to be admitted to the emergency room at a hospital near his home.

Suspecting an infection, the child was transferred to Children's Hospital 2 and admitted for treatment. Doctors performed an ultrasound and discovered a sharp foreign object about 7cm long in the child's abdomen.

After consulting with surgeons, the child was assigned emergency endoscopic surgery. The result shocked the whole family when the foreign object removed was a toothpick.

According to the patient's family, the child had a habit of eating quickly and not chewing thoroughly, so he may have swallowed the toothpick without knowing it.

The toothpick penetrated the distal duodenum, causing prolonged inflammation and fluid accumulation in the spleno-renal cavity and lower pole of the spleen, leading to abdominal pain and recurrent fever for many months.

Currently, after surgery, the patient's health has stabilized and is being monitored in the general surgery department.

Dr. Bui Hai Trung - deputy head of the general surgery department, who directly performed the surgery on the child - said that swallowing foreign objects is an accident that can be very dangerous, especially common in children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years old.

Although most cases do not cause serious consequences, a small percentage (less than 1%) can lead to serious complications such as obstruction, perforation of the digestive tract or infection.

In older children and adolescents, a dangerous foreign body that is often overlooked is the toothpick. Toothpicks are small, sharp objects that are often used after meals and are sometimes held in the mouth by children as a habit or unconscious behavior.

Children's Hospital 2 has recorded a number of cases of children or teenagers accidentally swallowing toothpicks while talking, laughing or playing.

Toothpicks can perforate the stomach or intestines.

Due to its long, hard and sharp structure, toothpicks can penetrate the esophageal mucosa, causing inflammation, infection or perforation of the esophageal wall, mediastinum or adjacent organs such as the trachea, large blood vessels, even leading to mediastinal abscess, peritonitis or gastrointestinal bleeding. Foreign objects can also cause perforation of the stomach or intestines, with symptoms such as fever and abdominal pain in children.

Wooden toothpicks are usually radiopaque, making them difficult to detect on X-rays, leading to delayed or missed diagnosis. Initial symptoms may be vague or unclear, making them easy to miss by family members and even medical staff.

Dr. Trung recommends that parents and schools absolutely do not let children use toothpicks, even after meals. Teach children the habit of cleaning their teeth with dental floss or a toothbrush instead of using toothpicks.

After use, toothpicks should be thrown into a covered trash can, out of reach of children. If you suspect that your child has swallowed a toothpick, even if there are no obvious symptoms, you should take them to a medical facility with diagnostic imaging capabilities (ultrasound, CT scan...) as soon as possible.

THUY DUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lay-chiec-tam-nhon-dai-7cm-nam-hon-4-thang-trong-bung-mot-be-trai-20250524092642287.htm