The patient said that he felt pain in chest two months ago after a nap; accordingly he arrived in an infirmary in district 8 where doctors gave him medications.
However, after taking drugs for five days, his painful condition has not abated or changed but he suffered breathing problems; therefore, he came to the People’s Hospital 115 for further check-up.
Physicians carried out a scan which found a 80-mm bamboo toothpick through right liver, stomach and pericardium.
Soon surgeons performed an operation on him to remove the toothpick.
The patient is stable but could not remember when he swallowed it.
Dr, Mai Duc Hung of the Surgery Department said that using toothpicks is a habit among many Vietnamese, especially some keeping bamboo toothpick in their mouth in sleeping.
He advised people should not talk and laugh while having a toothpick in their mouth. He warned that people should go to medical facilities to remove it if swallowing it accidentally.
