Man Undergoes Surgery for Thermometer Swallowed 20 Years Ago

In a remarkable case that underscores the hidden dangers lurking within the human body, doctors in Wenzhou, China, successfully removed a mercury thermometer that a patient had unknowingly carried for two decades. The 32-year-old man, identified by the surname Wang, presented at the hospital with severe abdominal pain, leading to an astonishing discovery during diagnostic imaging.

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The patient, surnamed Wang, reported to the Longgang branch of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, complaining of severe pain.

The thermometer, swallowed accidentally by Wang when he was just 12 years old, had remained lodged in his duodenum. The prolonged presence of the foreign object, coupled with its sharp nature, created a critical risk of intestinal perforation and potentially fatal internal bleeding. Wang confessed that he had concealed the incident from his parents at the time, fearing their reaction, and had lived without apparent symptoms for twenty years until the recent onset of severe pain forced him to seek medical attention.

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The medical team determined that the tip of the thermometer was directly pressing against the intestinal wall, creating a high risk of perforation and severe internal bleeding.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of swallowing foreign objects, especially those containing hazardous materials like mercury. While Wang was fortunate that the thermometer did not rupture his intestine, medical experts emphasize the severe risks associated with mercury poisoning should such a perforation occur. The successful, albeit delicate, twenty-minute surgery highlights the skill of the medical team at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, who navigated the proximity of vital bile ducts to safely extract the intact thermometer. The story, while extraordinary, also brings attention to the importance of seeking medical help promptly, even when symptoms are not immediately apparent, as hidden dangers can persist for years.

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He explained that he accidentally swallowed the thermometer when he was a twelve-year-old boy. At the time, he said, he was too afraid of his parents' reaction to admit what had happened.