A 46-year-old man in China has undergone a successful surgical procedure to remove a metal chopstick he reportedly swallowed and left lodged in his throat for eight years.
The unusual case, detailed in a hospital report published in March 2026, involved the patient identified only as Mr. Wang, who initially ingested the five-inch utensil in 2018 while eating.
According to the report, Wang sought medical attention shortly after the incident but declined treatment at the time, reportedly out of fear that doctors would need to perform an invasive surgery on his neck.
Despite the discomfort, he lived with the object in his throat for years until his condition worsened in recent weeks, making it increasingly difficult for him to swallow.
He eventually presented himself at Dalian Municipal Central Hospital in Liaoning Province, where doctors conducted further examinations.
Speaking on the case, Dr. Huang Weipeng expressed surprise at the timeline of the incident.
“He told us a chopstick was trapped in his throat. I thought it happened just now, but he said this was eight years ago,” the doctor said.
Medical experts carried out a minimally invasive procedure, successfully removing the chopstick through the patient’s mouth, thereby avoiding the need for open neck surgery.
Hospital officials noted that, remarkably, Wang’s vocal cords and surrounding mucous membranes were not severely damaged and continued to function normally after the operation.
He was discharged a few days later and is expected to make a full recovery.
The case has since drawn widespread attention, highlighting both the risks of delaying medical treatment and the advancements in minimally invasive surgical techniques.