Man swallows toothbrush:Doctors remove it without surgery

It was supposed to be an ordinary morning for Rajendra Malusare, a 50-year-old auto-rickshaw driver from Pen, Maharashtra. But while brushing his teeth, he accidentally swallowed the entire toothbrush. What followed was an unusual medical emergency that required doctors to carefully retrieve a 19-cm-long object from his digestive tract without performing surgery.

Malusare, who lives with a physical disability, initially sought help from a local physician. An X-ray was advised, but it failed to detect the swallowed toothbrush. Given his history of accidental ingestion, he was referred to Medicover Hospitals in Navi Mumbai for further evaluation.

By the time he reached the hospital, around three to four hours had passed since the incident. He was experiencing mild abdominal pain. Doctors conducted an endoscopy, which revealed something unexpected: the entire toothbrush was lying horizontally inside his stomach.

Dr Raosaheb Rathod, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist and Therapeutic Endoscopist at Medicover Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, said, "The patient reached Medicover Hospitals approximately three to four hours after swallowing the toothbrush with mild abdominal pain. Given the unusual nature of the incident, we conducted further evaluation, and an endoscopy confirmed that the entire toothbrush was lodged in his stomach."

The discovery presented doctors with a difficult challenge. Unlike smaller foreign objects, a toothbrush is long, hard and rigid. It cannot easily bend to follow the natural curves of the digestive tract. If left untreated, such an object can get stuck at narrower passages, potentially causing an obstruction or even perforation of the gut.

Instead of opting for surgery, the medical team decided to retrieve the toothbrush through endoscopy. The procedure, which lasted approximately 30 minutes, required several careful manoeuvres because of the object's size, shape and position.

Dr. Rathod explained, "The procedure was challenging because the toothbrush was hard, straight, and lying horizontally in the stomach, making it difficult to grasp and manoeuvre through the natural curves of the digestive tract."

Doctors used a hood attached to the tip of the endoscope to grip one end of the toothbrush and slowly pull it out. However, getting it out of the stomach was only part of the challenge.

As the team attempted to retrieve it, the toothbrush became stuck at the gastroesophageal junction, the point where the stomach meets the food pipe. Doctors had to repeat their manoeuvres and change the patient's position to guide the rigid object past this narrow passage.

But the difficulty did not end there. The toothbrush got stuck again near the upper esophageal sphincter and the postcricoid region in the throat. Since it could not bend along the natural curves of the food pipe, doctors had to carefully adjust its position before they could finally pull it out through the mouth.

After several attempts, the team successfully retrieved the entire toothbrush intact, without surgery.PATIENT RECOVERS WITHIN HOURS

Following the procedure, doctors performed another endoscopy to check for internal injuries. The examination confirmed that there was no damage to the upper or lower esophageal sphincters.

Malusare's symptoms improved after the procedure. He was kept under observation in the recovery room and discharged in a stable condition within three to four hours.

Expressing his gratitude, Rajendra Malusare said, "I am thankful to the doctors and the entire team at Medicover Hospitals for their timely treatment and care. I am relieved that the toothbrush was removed successfully without surgery and that I could return home safely within a few hours."

Doctors advise people who accidentally swallow large foreign objects, including toothbrushes, to seek immediate medical attention. Trying to induce vomiting or pushing the object down with food can cause further injury to the throat or food pipe, lead to bleeding or make the object more firmly lodged.

Mr Neeraj Lal, Regional Director for the Maharashtra and Karnataka Region at Medicover Hospitals, said, "This case highlights the importance of accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment in managing complex situations and ensuring patient safety."

"Our focus remains on delivering quality healthcare through skilled medical teams and the appropriate use of advanced procedures," concluded Sandip Joshi, Centre Head, Medicover Hospitals, Navi Mumbai.- Ends