NEW DELHI: In a rare medical emergency, doctors saved the life of a man who accidentally ingested an 8 cm-long metallic spoon while drinking water. Specialists at Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh removed the spoon, which was stuck in the upper part of the small intestine of the 30-year-old patient.
The therapeutic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, led by Dr Ramesh Garg, Senior Director and Head of Gastroenterology, took less than half an hour and left no internal injury.
According to the hospital, the patient arrived at Fortis’s emergency department vitally stable after initial evaluation at multiple super-specialty hospitals in North Delhi. An abdominal X-ray quickly pinpointed the spoon lodged near the duodenum.
“Prompt diagnostic imaging, including an abdominal X-ray, was conducted, which revealed an 8 cm-long metallic spoon stuck in the upper part of his small intestine. An emergency upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was immediately planned and performed under anesthesia,” the hospital said in a statement.
Using forceps, the surgical team very carefully extracted the spoon from the stomach. Following the procedure, the patient was observed for 24 hours, the hospital added. According to the hospital, the patient remained vitally stable throughout the post-procedural monitoring and was discharged in a healthy condition without any complications. According to Dr Garg, timely diagnosis and intervention are critical when metallic objects reach the upper small intestine.
“This was an extremely rare and challenging case. Precision allowed us to remove the eight-centimetre spoon without damage, and the patient went home 24 hours later in good health,” he added. The hospital kept the patient under observation overnight. He remained stable and showed no post-procedural complications. He was discharged in stable condition the very next day. Deepak Narang, Facility Director, Fortis Shalimar Bagh, commented, “The successful removal of an 8 cm metallic spoon through endoscopy in just 30 minutes is a testament to our advanced medical infrastructure, the skill of our specialists, and the strength of our emergency response protocols. We remain committed to delivering world-class care with pr cision, speed, and compassion.”