Nearly perforated the esophagus because of a pill.

SKĐS - Kien Xuong General Hospital (Hung Yen province) recently admitted a 73-year-old woman suffering from chest pain and difficulty swallowing after taking a capsule medication.

According to information from Kien Xuong General Hospital ( Hung Yen province), the hospital's Emergency Department recently received a 73-year-old female patient from Quang Lich commune with progressively worsening chest and abdominal pain, suspected of having swallowed a foreign object of unknown size.

Doctors at Kien Xuong General Hospital (Hung Yen province) successfully removed a capsule from a patient's esophagus using endoscopy. Photo: Provided by the hospital.

Upon taking the patient's medical history, it was revealed that they had taken a capsule but immediately experienced a feeling of obstruction, increasing pain, and inability to swallow.

Suspecting a foreign object in the upper gastrointestinal tract, the doctors quickly ordered an emergency esophagogastroscopy.

During the endoscopy, the doctor discovered a capsule, still intact, lodged in the middle of the esophagus, causing severe edema and congestion of the surrounding mucosa. If left untreated, the capsule's shell would dissolve, releasing a high concentration of the active ingredient, potentially leading to chemical burns, deep ulcers, or even esophageal perforation.

The surgical team used specialized foreign body retrieval instruments via endoscopy to successfully and safely remove the lodged pill from the esophagus. Following the procedure, the patient's pain and difficulty swallowing significantly decreased, their health stabilized, and they continued to be monitored in the department.

Dr. Dang Ngoc Hung, Deputy Director of Kien Xuong General Hospital (Hung Yen province), who directly performed the intervention, said: "Many people believe that capsule medications will dissolve on their own and pass down to the stomach. However, when they get stuck in the esophagus, the medication can cause serious damage. Some types of medication, when dissolved in the esophagus, can cause inflammation, ulcers, bleeding, or even perforation of the esophagus if not treated promptly."

According to doctors, elderly people, those with esophageal strictures, gastroesophageal reflux disease, those who lie down immediately after taking medication, or those who take medication with too little water are at higher risk of experiencing the above-mentioned condition.

"Early intervention with endoscopy helps to safely remove foreign objects and limit complications. In cases where treatment is delayed, the risk of inflammation, ulcers, and esophageal stricture later on is very high," Dr. Hung further advised.

According to doctors, capsules are a form of solid or soft medicine that is precisely dosed. The active ingredient is a solution, powder, or granule... contained in a capsule shell made of gelatin or starch. With this dosage form, the medicine can mask unpleasant tastes, making it easier to swallow, avoiding external influences, and protecting the medicine from being destroyed by gastric juices. Therefore, it should not be chewed to avoid damaging the capsule shell, and the capsule shell should not be broken open to extract the active ingredient inside.

The medication should be taken while standing, with a glass of water (approximately 150-200ml) to create a solvent in the stomach that helps the tablet dissolve quickly.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/suyt-thung-thuc-quan-vi-vien-thuoc-169251218053839153.htm