Mystery of man's 'severe headaches' solved after chopsticks found in his skull

29 November 2023 , 14:49

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The chopsticks lodged inside the patient's skull (Image: Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Hospital)

A man who complained of severe headaches when he discovered they were caused by chopsticks which had been thrust up his nose during a bar fight.

The patient, known as Mr PVT, was concerned by the pain and when he felt an itch in his nose investigated and found a foreign object. The 35-year-old took himself to Cuba Friendship Hospital in Vietnam where doctors gave him a CT scan which showed two large chopsticks lodged inside his nose and inside his skull. He is said to have been out for drinks five months before when he got involved in a fight.

The chopsticks were removed surgically (Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Hospital)

During the scuffle the eating implements were shoved up his nose but he did not realise and thought he had been stabbed in the face. Afterwards he was taken to A&E but no one notices the chopsticks inside his nose, Vietnam.vn reported.

Over the next few months he suffered severe headaches, fluid discharge and a loss of vision but no one realised he had the objects in the orifice. After the scan he underwent endoscopic surgery through the nose to remove them which was successful and he is now waiting to be discharged from hospital.

Earlier this month a report revealed the foreign objects lodged in people’s bodies include magnets, phone chargers, lollipops and orange peels, according to the (CPSC) database. These objects were the ninth leading cause of unintentional injuries in 2021 — with nearly 278,000 US adults needing care, the (CDC) has found.

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In December 2022, a blogger on Defector listed some of the specific foreign objects found in the CPSC database, classified by orifice – where items that were lodged in people’s ears included a cufflink, wet tissues, a plastic sword, an insect, a rock, a lollipop, a charger, a piece of ice cream cone, a pushpin, a pencil eraser and a Battleship game piece.

Liquid items placed in the ear included shoe glue (added instead of ear drops), lighter fluid, candle wax and hydrogen peroxide. And in noses were found gum wrappers, a used match, magnets, rice, candy hearts, yarn, jewels, gummy worms, orange peels, an LED light, flowers, cheese, popcorn kernels and glue.

The swallowing of items results in a high number of ER visits and these included tools, nails, a steak knife, a small flashlight, a glue stick, pet toys, coins, office supplies, cigarettes, aluminium foil, hair clips, keys and darts. Getting items stuck after inserting them into genitalia also resulted in many visits to hospitals. Men turned up with sex toys, beads, paper clips, coins, a car key, a pencil, a nail, a ceiling fan chain, a cell phone charger and a wooden spoon inside them.

Antony Clements-Thrower