During umbilical hernia surgery, the doctor discovered a "hidden killer" in the old man's abdomen.

(Dan Tri) - During surgery for an umbilical hernia, doctors discovered a sharp fish bone stuck in the abdomen of a 64-year-old man at the end of his ileum, causing intestinal perforation.

Mr. Nam (64 years old, name changed) was admitted to the emergency room at Nam Saigon International General Hospital (HCMC) recently, with abdominal pain accompanied by an unusual swelling.

From the hernia, discovered the "hidden killer" in the 3-in-1 surgery

Through clinical examination, the doctor noted that the abdominal wall in the right iliac fossa had a stiffening phenomenon (iliac fossa resistance) and the patient felt pain. Combined with the paraclinical results, the patient was determined to have an umbilical hernia, with a 25mm wide hernia neck requiring urgent surgery.

However, the patient had many underlying chronic diseases such as prostate enlargement and high blood pressure, which posed many risks during the surgery. Therefore, the doctors conducted a thorough consultation to come up with treatment options to ensure the safety of the surgery.

On the same afternoon that the old man was admitted to the hospital, surgery to treat an umbilical hernia under endotracheal anesthesia was performed by the surgical team of the General Surgery Department, including Master, Doctor, Specialist I Mai Van Dung and Doctor Quach Tuan Khang.

The medical team successfully separated and treated the umbilical hernia, measuring approximately 4x4cm, and returned it to the abdominal cavity. To avoid missing any injuries, the team continued to explore the right iliac fossa and discovered a foreign object, a sharp fish bone, stuck in the terminal ileum.

This "hidden killer" caused intestinal perforation, leading to an inflammatory reaction, causing the appendix to adhere and secondary inflammation. Doctors removed the foreign object and cut out the inflamed appendix. All were completed under a single anesthesia, ensuring maximum safety for the patient, limiting complications of fistula and recurrent hernia.

Surgical team in the operating room (Photo: BVCC).

Recovering from a difficult surgery

"All three dangerous problems including umbilical hernia, ileal foreign body and inflamed appendix were completely treated in just one surgery, promptly preventing complications that could have threatened the 64-year-old man's life," a member of the treatment team shared.

After surgery, the patient was monitored at the General Surgery Department. With the dedicated care of the team of doctors and nurses, the patient's health improved positively, he was able to eat normally and chat with his family.

Commenting on this case, Master, Doctor, Specialist I Mai Van Dung said that complications from foreign objects in the digestive tract can be life-threatening if not detected promptly.

People need to be especially careful when eating and drinking (especially with nuts or foods containing bones), chewing thoroughly and swallowing slowly to avoid foreign objects. If there are signs such as prolonged abdominal pain, localized pain or an unusual bulge, they need to go to a medical facility immediately for examination and timely treatment.

"Regular health check-ups also play a key role, helping to detect early many dangerous diseases that progress silently without the patient knowing," Dr. Dung emphasized.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/mo-thoat-vi-ron-bac-si-phat-hien-sat-thu-an-minh-trong-bung-cu-ong-20250824093007987.htm