Ovarian abscess, sepsis due to fish bone stuck in throat

Ho Chi Minh City: A 63-year-old woman had lower abdominal pain and thought it was a gynecological disease. The doctor discovered a fish bone fragment had punctured her intestines, causing peritonitis and an ovarian abscess.

The patient had abdominal pain for 20 days, the pain gradually increased to the point of being unbearable, and was admitted to the emergency room in a lethargic state on the afternoon of November 30. The doctor noted that the patient's heart rate was very fast, and he had to breathe oxygen through a mask, suspecting a serious infection. Ultrasound showed many abscesses in the abdomen, warning signs of peritonitis and severe sepsis, requiring immediate surgery.

Associate Professor, Dr. Huynh Nguyen Khanh Trang, Head of the Department of Obstetrics, Hung Vuong Hospital, mobilized a surgical team including obstetricians from Hung Vuong Hospital and colleagues from Cho Ray Hospital.

During the surgery, which lasted more than 4 hours, the doctors discovered that the patient's abdominal cavity contained nearly two liters of thick, green pus that was very foul-smelling. The left ovary and fallopian tube were 15 cm distended, filled with thick pus, and stuck to the end of the large intestine.

The team dissected and cut the entire abscess, and noted a 3.5 cm long fish bone fragment like a thorn that had pierced the intestines and entered the abdominal cavity.

After removing the fish bone, the patient still had a severe infection due to a long-standing intestinal perforation and severe diffuse peritonitis. The patient was transferred to Cho Ray Hospital for further treatment of the intestinal injury.

On the morning of December 2, the patient's health gradually stabilized.

The fish bone was surgically removed. Photo: Provided by the hospital — The fish bone was removed by the doctor. Photo: *Provided by the hospital*

Doctors consider the case to be very rare. Fish bones entering the abdominal cavity are a huge potential danger, possibly perforating the stomach, endangering life.

The patient said he was eating rice with fish while chatting and swallowed the fish bone without realizing it. The doctor advised people not to force themselves to swallow rice, drink water, or drink vinegar when a fish bone is stuck in their throat, and to go to the hospital for proper treatment.

Le Phuong

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