People should be careful not to swallow foreign objects while eating. A case has been reported in which a fish bone measuring about 3 cm was found inside a man in his 30s who had complained of buttock pain for several days.
According to medical staff at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals in the United Kingdom, a 36-year-old man visited the hospital because of buttock pain that suddenly began while he was having a bowel movement. The pain continued for four days, making it difficult for him to sit comfortably. He did not experience any other symptoms, such as fever or nausea.
The medical staff performed a pelvic CT, computed tomography, and found a thin foreign object measuring about 27 mm in the left ischiorectal fossa, a deep space extending from both sides of the anus toward the inside of the buttocks. They attempted to remove the object using ultrasound, but the procedure failed because it could not be properly seen on ultrasound. The medical staff then made an approximately 6-mm incision in the skin and removed the object while confirming its location with ultrasound. The object turned out to be a fish bone.
The man's pain disappeared immediately after removal. He was monitored for four hours, prescribed antibiotics and discharged on the same day.
Even if a fish bone is accidentally swallowed, most pass naturally through the digestive tract and are expelled. However, because fish bones are sharp, they can damage the mucous membranes or, rarely, cause perforation if they become lodged in the esophagus, stomach or duodenum. Particular caution is needed when a fish bone becomes lodged in the esophagus because of the risk of complications. The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, ASGE, classifies sharp objects lodged in the esophagus as foreign bodies that require emergency removal.
If a fish bone becomes lodged in the esophagus, it is advisable to seek medical attention rather than trying to force it down. Immediate medical care is recommended if persistent pain occurs in the throat or chest, if swallowing saliva or food is difficult, if saliva contains blood or if breathing is difficult. Fish bones may not be clearly visible on X-rays, so an endoscopic examination may be necessary.
Meanwhile, the case was published in the international academic journal 'Radiology Case Reports'.
According to medical staff at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals in the United Kingdom, a 36-year-old man visited the hospital because of buttock pain that suddenly began while he was having a bowel movement. The pain continued for four days, making it difficult for him to sit comfortably. He did not experience any other symptoms, such as fever or nausea.
The medical staff performed a pelvic CT, computed tomography, and found a thin foreign object measuring about 27 mm in the left ischiorectal fossa, a deep space extending from both sides of the anus toward the inside of the buttocks. They attempted to remove the object using ultrasound, but the procedure failed because it could not be properly seen on ultrasound. The medical staff then made an approximately 6-mm incision in the skin and removed the object while confirming its location with ultrasound. The object turned out to be a fish bone.
The man's pain disappeared immediately after removal. He was monitored for four hours, prescribed antibiotics and discharged on the same day.
Even if a fish bone is accidentally swallowed, most pass naturally through the digestive tract and are expelled. However, because fish bones are sharp, they can damage the mucous membranes or, rarely, cause perforation if they become lodged in the esophagus, stomach or duodenum. Particular caution is needed when a fish bone becomes lodged in the esophagus because of the risk of complications. The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, ASGE, classifies sharp objects lodged in the esophagus as foreign bodies that require emergency removal.
If a fish bone becomes lodged in the esophagus, it is advisable to seek medical attention rather than trying to force it down. Immediate medical care is recommended if persistent pain occurs in the throat or chest, if swallowing saliva or food is difficult, if saliva contains blood or if breathing is difficult. Fish bones may not be clearly visible on X-rays, so an endoscopic examination may be necessary.
Meanwhile, the case was published in the international academic journal 'Radiology Case Reports'.