5-Year-Old Girl Undergoes Emergency Surgery After Swallowing 4cm Gold Ingot

A 5-year-old girl in China required emergency surgery after swallowing a 50-gram gold ingot, which became lodged in her stomach. The incident occurred at her home while she was playing.

Doctors at Beijing Children's Hospital, affiliated with Capital Medical University, treated the child on May 16. She arrived at the hospital six hours after ingesting the 4-cm-long gold bar. X-rays confirmed the ingot was stuck in her stomach.

Hospital officials noted that the gold bar's density, smooth surface, and hardness made it prone to getting stuck in the digestive tract. They warned of potential complications, including damage to the stomach lining, perforation, and severe internal bleeding, indicating the child's condition was critical.

The incident has sparked dark humor online, with some referencing a Chinese idiom about children being "monsters that eat gold," which has now seemingly become a reality. The family had reportedly sought medical attention at multiple institutions before arriving at the hospital.