Humans exhibit various types of cravings, but a man from Chandigarh left medical professionals astounded when it was discovered he had been consuming knives and other sharp metallic objects. During a four-hour-long endoscopic surgery, nearly 50 metallic items were removed from his stomach. These items included short nails, compressed springs, and wrench tools used for tightening bolts and nuts. What amazed the medical team even more was that, despite ingesting such dangerous foreign objects, the patient had not sustained any significant internal or external injuries.
The patient had been transferred from the psychiatric ward after complaining of severe stomach pain. His symptoms initially appeared unrelated to his psychiatric condition. However, an X-ray soon revealed the presence of multiple foreign objects lodged in his stomach. The medical team was astonished to find no signs of corrosion on the metallic items, which suggested that the objects had been ingested gradually over an extended period of time rather than all at once. It was hypothesised that the patient had been swallowing these objects over the course of several months.
The patient had come to us from the psychiatry ward in the institute when he complained of stomach paiy X-ray revealed the ingestion of foreign objects. We have never encountered so many objects inside a patient,
Dr. Jayanta Samanta
Given the situation, the decision to perform an endoscopic procedure, rather than opting for open stomach surgery, proved to be crucial. Open surgery could have resulted in further complications and a much longer recovery time. During the endoscopy, the doctors worked meticulously to minimize the risk of damaging the esophagus and other surrounding organs while removing the objects. While minor injuries were expected due to the sharpness of some of the objects, there were no serious injuries reported after the surgery. The success of this delicate procedure was a testament to the skill of the medical team involved.
This unusual behaviour is often observed in individuals suffering from mental health disorders, particularly schizophrenia. In some cases, individuals may experience hallucinations or delusions that compel them to engage in dangerous or bizarre actions. In this particular case, the patient had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had been referred from the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla. The ingestion of metallic objects likely resulted from the hallucinations associated with his condition.
Although the patient is currently under treatment for schizophrenia, the procedure required to remove the foreign objects has temporarily interrupted his ongoing psychiatric care. The patient remains under observation as he recovers from the surgery, and his mental health treatment will resume once his physical condition stabilises.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)
