Doctors Discover an Octopus Stuck in a Man’s Throat

Imagine indulging in your favourite food only to have negative effects on your health. As strange as it may seem, a situation similar to this really occurred lately in Singapore.

Doctors at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore were taken aback when they discovered something strange during a recent operation. A 55-year-old guy went to the doctor after having trouble swallowing after eating an octopus-based lunch. The medics were shocked to find an eight-legged octopus stuck in the patient’s oesophagus, causing severe agony.

The patient experienced vomiting and ongoing swallowing difficulties when they got to the hospital. According to the New York Post, a CT scan performed by medical personnel indicated the existence of the thick monster trapped in the man’s oesophagus, close to the boundary with the stomach. To analyse the issue, the physicians acted quickly and conducted an esophagogastroduodenoscopy, a gastrointestinal examination utilising a flexible tube.

The medical staff skilfully steered an endoscope past the octopus after several fruitless efforts to physically remove it, enabling its secure evacuation. They delicately gripped the octopus’s head with forceps and gently removed it from the man’s neck. Thankfully, the operation went well, and the patient’s health considerably improved. He was released from the hospital two days later after making a complete recovery.

Food blockages, like the one in this instance, are prevalent in hospitals, particularly Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Only one percent of cases, according to doctors, need surgical intervention; instead, between 10 and 20 percent call for endoscopic intervention. While the “push technique” is often used with excellent results, vigilance is advised to prevent any possible consequences such oesophageal perforation.

This occurrence serves as a warning about the possible dangers of several foods, especially meals featuring live octopus. In a similar incident, an octopus from a sushi lunch in Kansas, United States, stuck in a 2-year-old boy’s throat, necessitating hospitalisation. The suckers that adhere to the neck and cause asphyxiation cause numerous deaths each year in South Korea, where live octopus meals are prized delicacies.

The medical staff at Tan Tock Seng Hospital believes that this exceptional instance will highlight the need for care while ingesting certain meals and emphasise the need of seeking immediate medical assistance in the event of any pain or congestion in the throat or oesophagus.