Man survives for 8 years with 12cm metal chopstick lodged in his throat

Dalian. An unbelievable incident has come to light in Dalian, China, where a man lived for 8 years with a 12-centimeter-long metal chopstick lodged in his throat. While most people find even a small obstruction in their throat unbearable, 46-year-old Wang lived a normal life for nearly a decade with the metal rod inside him.

This bizarre case has become a global talking point after doctors at the Dalian Municipal Central Hospital successfully removed the chopstick through surgery. The incident dates back 8 years, when Wang accidentally swallowed a full steel chopstick while eating.

According to the hospital, Wang was struggling with alcohol addiction at the time, which is why he did not clearly explain how he swallowed the chopstick. Immediately after swallowing it, he felt a blockage and mild pain, but since he had no difficulty breathing, he did not pay much attention to it.

When he first visited a hospital, Wang was frightened after doctors warned him that removing it would require surgery on his throat, which carried significant risks. Choosing to endure the pain rather than face the risk, he returned home.

For the past 8 years, Wang endured the minor discomfort and occasional pain in his throat. However, recently, he began experiencing unbearable pain in the mornings.

After painkillers failed to provide relief, he finally went to the hospital for treatment. Doctors were stunned when an X-ray revealed a 12-centimeter-long metal rod standing upright in the upper part of his throat. Even more surprisingly, Wang told the doctors quite casually that it had been there for 8 years.

Fortunately, despite the foreign object remaining in his throat for so long, Wang did not suffer any major wounds, bleeding, or abscesses. However, there was a high risk that the chopstick could have gradually damaged surrounding blood vessels and tissues.

This time, doctors planned to use modern technology to perform the procedure through a small incision inside the mouth rather than cutting the throat from the outside. A team led by Dr. Huang Weipeng carefully and successfully removed the 12-centimeter stainless steel chopstick.

Within a few days of the surgery, Wang's pain subsided, and his health improved rapidly. The Dalian hospital has published this case as a warning to the public.

The hospital has urged people not to ignore any foreign object that accidentally enters the body and to seek medical advice immediately.