I swallowed one stapler pin

Dear Patient: Stapler pin is very small in size. Acid in stomach is strong enough to dissolve it. If you would have consulted immediately, we could have got it removed by gastroscopy. Most probably it is dissolved in stomach acid or has passed through the stools. But you are advised to consult the general surgeon or gastroenterology surgeon. He may like to do the digital x-ray of your abdomen or may be CT scan of the whole abdomen. If at all it is found somewhere in abdomen, it can be followed up and removed if necessary. It can not be present in stomach, where you are pointing the pain. It will get dissolved in stomach acid. I must quote one incidence, in which the patient swallowed the pointed drill pin of a dentist student. But a very senior and seventy year old professor of surgery said that there is nothing to worry about it. He put it all in writing. My two surgical colleagues were of the opinion that it should be removed by gastroscopy. I fallowed up the patient for next two months and there was no problem.

This question has been answered by

Dr. Ashok Deshmukh

Family Medicine Specialist

MBBS, FCGP