Intestinal perforation due to a habit many Vietnamese people have

Viet Duc Friendship Hospital has just admitted patient TVQ (Male, 45 years old) from Bac Ninh with abdominal pain. After taking X-rays and doing necessary tests, doctors diagnosed Mr. Q. with peritonitis due to perforated hollow organ and decided to perform emergency surgery on the patient.

During the surgery, the doctors performed surgery to remove adhesions and found that the cause of the intestinal perforation was a toothpick. The patient's abdominal cavity was cleaned and the two ends of the ileum at the perforated site were brought out to make an artificial anus.

Dr. Duong Trong Hien, Director of the Endoscopic Surgery Center, Head of the Department of Emergency Digestive Surgery, said that foreign bodies in the digestive tract are a fairly common emergency, usually caused by choking on animal bones such as chicken, pig, fish, or accidentally or intentionally swallowing foreign objects such as: bamboo toothpicks, bamboo sticks, safety pins, razor blades...

"Foreign bodies in the digestive tract can cause very dangerous complications and require immediate treatment. If left too late, some serious complications can occur, such as mediastinal abscess due to esophageal perforation or peritonitis due to gastric or intestinal perforation. Sometimes foreign bodies that puncture the esophagus cause mediastinal abscess right in the aortic arch area, causing aortic fistula into the esophagus, causing very severe gastrointestinal bleeding," said Dr. Duong Trong Hien.

According to doctors, in daily life, people often suffer from esophageal or intestinal perforation due to foreign objects such as animal bones such as chicken, duck, dog, fish, etc., especially in cases such as patients who have lost teeth or when drinking too much alcohol.

Many elderly people have the habit of chewing toothpicks, especially bamboo toothpicks, when sleeping, which can easily be swallowed unconsciously. Foreign objects can easily cause intestinal perforation, or in some cases, patients accidentally swallow a sewing needle while spinning the thread, and do not go to the doctor, leading to perforation of the small intestine. In children, accidental or intentional swallowing, such as swallowing toys, screws, etc., can also cause scratches and perforation of the esophagus and stomach.

In addition to the common situation of choking on foreign objects in children and the elderly. In some cases, people with depression intentionally swallow foreign objects, criminals intentionally swallow sharp objects such as razor blades, pieces of plastic with sharp edges... causing perforation of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon.

Patients who have swallowed foreign objects when coming to the hospital will be examined by doctors and have X-rays or CT scans to assess the damage caused by the foreign object. In cases where there is no risk of gastrointestinal perforation, they will be monitored, some cases will be given laxatives and the foreign object will be monitored for exit or the movement of the foreign object will be monitored on X-rays.

In cases where the lesion is determined to be in the esophagus or stomach, the doctor will be able to remove the foreign object using a flexible endoscope to identify the foreign object and remove it through this route.

For foreign objects that perforate the esophagus and can cause damage such as mediastinal abscess, the doctor will perform surgery to drain the abscess, remove the foreign object, and open the stomach or jejunum. In cases of damage to the lower part of the stomach, small intestine, or colon, the doctor will perform surgery to remove the foreign object, suture the hole, or drain or create an artificial anus, as well as clean the abdominal cavity.

Dr. Duong Trong Hien recommends: When choking on a foreign object in the digestive tract, you should visit a medical facility and closely monitor symptoms and complications to prevent and limit unfortunate complications that may occur./.

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