The patient is Ms. N.T.K, 37 years old, living in Thai Nguyen, hospitalized with a severe abdominal infection (generalized peritonitis) after swallowing red apple seeds.
According to Dr. Le Nhat Huy - Deputy Director of the Center for Colon and Rectal Surgery - Perineum, a day before being admitted to the hospital, the patient had symptoms of epigastric pain, then the pain spread to the right iliac fossa, easily confused with acute appendicitis. When arriving at the hospital in Thai Nguyen, the CT scan results showed suspected intestinal necrosis, she was immediately transferred to Viet Duc Friendship Hospital for emergency treatment.
Here, the patient was hospitalized with a systemic infection and severe abdominal pain. After consultation, the doctors diagnosed generalized peritonitis due to a foreign body in the digestive tract and ordered emergency surgery.
During the laparoscopy, the doctors discovered that the entire abdominal cavity was filled with cloudy fluid and pseudomembranes. The appendix was not inflamed, but a section of the small intestine at the junction with the large intestine showed signs of severe inflammation and was tightly stuck together. Upon closer examination, they discovered a hole in the intestinal wall with a sharp foreign object poking out. The foreign object removed was a dried red apple seed - a familiar food to many people.
The surgery was successful, the patient's small intestine was sutured and the abdominal cavity was cleaned. After 8 hours, Ms. K was conscious, recovered well and was transferred to the treatment room.
Sharing about the incident, the patient said that he had previously eaten bird's nest stewed with red apples and accidentally swallowed the seeds without realizing it. This is a fairly common situation when many people do not pay attention or are subjective, thinking that the foreign object will be eliminated on its own if it does not cause immediate choking or gagging.
Doctors warn that sharp foreign objects such as apple seeds, toothpicks, fish bones, chicken bones, etc. can cause damage to the digestive tract, especially the terminal ileum - where the small intestine connects to the large intestine. If not detected early, it can lead to intestinal perforation, peritonitis, severe infection, and even life-threatening.
In case of swallowing a sharp foreign object, the patient should not be subjective but should go to a medical facility within the first 4-6 hours to have the foreign object removed by endoscopy to avoid the risk of dangerous complications. Especially for the elderly or people with poor health, the abdominal infection can become more serious, easily leading to septic shock and death.
To reduce this risk, doctors recommend that people should practice the habit of eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and being careful when eating foods with hard seeds or bones. When eating red apples or fruits with seeds, be careful to remove the seeds before eating. If you accidentally swallow a sharp foreign object, you should quickly go to a medical facility for timely treatment to avoid unfortunate consequences.
