Man lives 8 years with 12 cm metal chopstick stuck in the throat; surgery finally removes it

A very unusual health story from China is currently going viral, and people cannot stop talking about it. A man reportedly lived for eight years with a metal chopstick stuck inside his throat. What has shocked many is not just the incident, but the fact that he continued his life without getting it removed for so long. The case has now come into the spotlight after doctors finally carried out a successful surgery.

A visit to the hospital reveals everything

The man, identified by his surname Wang, recently went to a hospital in Liaoning province after experiencing increasing pain, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

When he spoke to doctors, he mentioned that a chopstick was stuck in his throat. Initially, doctors believed it was a recent case. But Wang clarified that the event had happened eight years ago, which left them surprised.

How the incident took place

Wang shared that he accidentally swallowed the metal chopstick while eating and drinking alcohol years ago.

At that time, he felt pain but did not have any breathing problems. Because of this, the situation did not seem very serious to him, as mentioned in the report.

Fear stopped him from getting treatment

After the incident, Wang did visit a hospital. Doctors suggested surgery and advised removing the chopstick by cutting the side of his neck.

However, he refused the treatment, as he was afraid of the procedure. He decided to live with the object instead.

Living with it for years

Over the years, Wang said he could sometimes feel the chopstick in his throat. But he chose to ignore it.

He believed the discomfort was a “normal reaction” caused by alcohol consumption. Since the pain was not constant, he did not seek further medical help.

Pain finally becomes serious

Recently, Wang started experiencing pain every morning. The pain became more noticeable when he swallowed food and eased only after taking a rest.

This change made him return to the hospital.

Medical examination and findings

According to the report, doctors carried out an examination and found a 12 cm-long metal chopstick stuck in the soft palate area of his throat.

They also found that the surrounding tissues were not badly affected. His vocal cords were working normally, and nearby organs had not shifted.

A safer surgical approach

Wang was still not willing to go for a neck surgery. So doctors decided to use a minimally invasive method.

They removed the chopstick through his mouth. The surgery was successful and involved only a small amount of bleeding.

He recovered well and was discharged a few days later.

Social media reacts

The case quickly gained attention online, and people shared their reactions.

One user said, “12 cm long. My God, it is so long. How did he endure it for such a long time?”

Another wrote, “I felt pain when simply reading this story.”

A third asked, “I wonder how he managed to swallow it?”
Thumb image: Canva (for representative purposes only)