Bamboo toothpick punctures colon after meal.

VTV.vn - A 3cm long bamboo toothpick pierced the colon, causing an abdominal abscess in a 49-year-old man, requiring urgent intervention to avoid dangerous complications.

Image showing a foreign object removed from the patient's colon. Photo: Quang Ninh Provincial General Hospital.

Quang Ninh Provincial General Hospital has successfully treated patient D.VT (49 years old) who had a sharp foreign object perforating the colon, causing an abdominal abscess.

Approximately 10 days prior, the patient experienced a dull ache in the lower abdomen but dismissed it as a minor ailment. Only when the pain became persistent and affected daily life did the patient seek medical attention.

Ultrasound and CT scan results revealed a rod-shaped foreign object, approximately 30 mm long, penetrating the wall of the sigmoid colon, causing bowel perforation and forming a localized abscess around the site of the injury.

After consultation, the doctors found that the abscess was small and showed no signs of peritonitis, so they decided to apply a minimally invasive intervention method instead of open or laparoscopic surgery.

The team from the Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology performed percutaneous abscess drainage under ultrasound guidance to control infection. Subsequently, utilizing the drainage tube's tunnel and specialized instruments, the doctors successfully accessed and removed the foreign object. The foreign object was identified as a sharp piece of bamboo toothpick approximately 3 cm long.

Following the procedure, the patient's abdominal pain significantly decreased, inflammatory markers improved well, and the abscess was effectively controlled. The patient did not undergo major surgery, including laparotomy or colon resection. After 5 days of treatment, the patient was stable and discharged.

According to Dr. Ngo Quang Chuc, Head of the Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, sharp foreign objects such as toothpicks, fish bones, or chicken bones can silently pierce the digestive tract, causing intestinal perforation, abdominal abscesses, or peritonitis. Many cases involve people not remembering to have swallowed a foreign object, leading to delayed detection and increasing the risk of dangerous complications.

Doctors advise people to seek medical attention early if they experience persistent abdominal pain, fever, or unusual digestive disorders for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Source: https://vtv.vn/tam-tre-dam-thung-dai-trang-sau-bua-an-100260601122648501.htm