Man in China has toothbrush in his body removed, had swallowed it 50 years ago

Toothbrush removed from man’s body after being lodged there for 50 years

A 64-year-old man from Anhui, China, was stunned to learn that a children’s toothbrush he swallowed more than five decades ago was still lodged inside his body, reports Chinese news outlet Liberty Times Net.

The man, surnamed Yang (name transliterated from Chinese), had recently sought medical treatment after suffering from persistent chest pain.

During a routine endoscopy and imaging scan, doctors were shocked to find a long, thin plastic object in his duodenum, a section of the small intestine.

Further inspection confirmed the object was a plastic toothbrush designed for children.

Swallowed the toothbrush as a child

Mr Yang revealed that he had accidentally swallowed the toothbrush when he was just 12 years old while playing, but kept it secret out of fear of being scolded by his mother.

For years, he assumed the toothbrush would dissolve naturally inside his body.

Surprisingly, the toothbrush stayed in the same spot for 52 years without causing life-threatening complications such as intestinal perforation or inflammation.

Doctors called the case highly unusual and said that Mr Yang was incredibly lucky.

Surgery was quickly arranged to remove the toothbrush, and Mr Yang has been in stable condition.

Speaking after his operation, Mr Yang said he had completely forgotten about the incident until his recent health issues.

He never imagined the toothbrush had survived inside him for more than half a century.

Doctors advise immediate medical treatment

Medical experts noted that accidental ingestion of foreign objects is not uncommon, especially in children.

However, if left untreated, such objects can lead to chronic inflammation, ulcers, internal infections, or even septic shock.

Doctors urged the public to seek immediate medical attention in such cases and not to hide the incident out of fear or embarrassment.

“Something small can quietly become a major health hazard,” they said.

Also read: 11-year-old boy in China swallows 100g gold bar, it gets stuck in his digestive tract for 2 days