Doctor removes fish bone that had blocked the food pipe and caused blood clot and inflammation.

After a man unknowingly ingested a fish bone, he approached a private hospital doctor in Mettupalayam, following choking and dysphagia.

The 44-year-old man from Mettupalayam was operated upon through endoscopy to remove the fish bone that was lodged near the food pipe, according to Dr D Vijayagiri of the SGK Hospital there. The ingested fish bone might have caused a threat to life with the formation of pus inside the food pipe and intestine. Such cases have happened before, he added.

The man, who approached the doctor post his lunch, was unable to breathe. An X-ray showed the fish bone lodged in the food pipe. It had torn a part of the food pipe and had caused blood clotting and inflammation.

Through endoscopy surgery, the 5-cm-long fish bone was removed and the patient had since recuperated and was discharged a day later, Dr Vijayagiri said.

This was not a rare problem and the said he had seen some 40 cases in his career. “Swallowing fish bone is not unusual. But people must be careful while eating fish. Fish bones can pass through the intestine if they are smooth and don’t have any protrusions, but it is better to be careful as they can get lodged anywhere in the digestive tract. Also be mindful while eating. It is important to chew food well and not swallow it in a hurry,” was his advice.