Doctors in Hapur, India, recently carried out one of the most unusual surgeries they had ever seen. They removed 29 steel spoons, 19 toothbrushes, and 2 pens from the stomach of a man.
According to the Times of India (September 26 report), the man was originally from Bulandshahr and had been staying at a de-addiction centre in Ghaziabad for treatment. About a month later, he was rushed to the hospital after complaining of severe stomach pain that became unbearable.
When doctors performed an ultrasound scan, they were shocked to discover many metallic and plastic objects inside his stomach. Realizing that the items could cause serious internal injuries, they decided to perform an emergency surgery without delay.
The operation was led by Dr. Shyam Kumar and his team. The doctors had to work very carefully, removing each object one at a time so that no damage would be caused to the man’s internal organs. Dr. Kumar later explained that the moment was both “rare and shocking” because of the unusually high number of items. Despite the difficulties, the surgery was a success.
The man has since been discharged from the hospital and is said to be stable and recovering well.
Later, when asked why he had swallowed these dangerous items, the patient reportedly told the doctors that he had been treated badly at the rehabilitation centre. He said he often felt mistreated, hungry, and helpless, which made him frustrated. In a state of anger and despair, he began swallowing spoons, toothbrushes, and pens as a form of self-harm.
This strange case is not the first of its kind in India.
In 2022, doctors in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, removed 63 spoons from the stomach of a man named Vijay, who was also a drug addict. Reports said he had been eating spoons for nearly a year while staying in a de-addiction centre.
In 2019, another shocking case came from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, where surgeons found several unusual items inside a man’s stomach, including spoons, screwdrivers, toothbrushes, a kitchen knife, and even a door latch. The man was later diagnosed with a serious mental disorder.
Doctors say such cases usually happen because of a psychiatric condition or due to extreme emotional distress. People in such states may swallow objects as a way to cope with stress, anger, or mental illness.
The Hapur case stands out because of the large variety of items found inside the patient. Thankfully, doctors acted in time and saved his life.
