A combined team of Doctors at the Federal Medical Center, Abeokuta, has rescued a 65 year old man who accidentally swallowed a toothbrush during a rigorous brushing.

The man who went through a successful esophagoscopy was said to have been presented at the Accident and emergency Department of the hospital, weekend, after two hours of the brush stuck in his esophagus.

According to a statement by Head of Public Relations, Segun Orisajo, the patient had been brushing rigorously for about three years following intermittent hiccups on his throat.

He was said to have believed that the hiccups were due to an object lodged in his throat, hence his decision to engage in vigorous and aggressive mouth and throat brush.

Orisajo said an x-ray conducted on the patient confirmed impacted toothbrush in the upper cervical esophagus (digestive tract).

“The 65-year old retired civil servant, who is currently recuperating in the Centre was said to have presented to the Accident and Emergency department over the weekend with 2- hour history of tooth brush in the throat.

“The Patient accidentally swallowed the tooth brush while brushing rigorously. Swallowing subsequently became difficult and painful with associated drooling of saliva.

- The recovered toothbrush

“The Patient, it was further learnt has been having intermittent hiccups for the past three years.

“He strongly believes that these hiccups arise as a result of an object lodged in his throat hence his decision to vigorously and aggressively brush his mouth and throat to get rid of the non-existent offending object.

“X-ray soft tissue neck of the patient later confirmed impacted toothbrush in the upper digestive tract (cervical esophagus). The foreign body (tooth brush) was eventually removed through emergency rigid esophagoscopy.

Speaking on the issue, Head of ENT unit of the Center, Dr N. Iyanda described the incident as very rare in adults except in patients with psychiatric condition or those with suicide or parasuicide tendency.

Orisajo said though the patient has no such conditions, he was being kept for thorough evaluation to rule out subtle mental and behavioural abnormalities.

"We are therefore keeping the patient for thorough evaluation by a psychiatrist to rule out subtle mental and/behavioural abnormalities. We also want a neurologist to review to rule out neuromuscular problems." Dr Iyanda added

Iyanda commended the Medical Director, Prof Adewale Musa-Olomu for equipping the department with latest tools which greatly assisted in the success of the procedure.

Prof Musa-Olomu was also quoted to have applauded the success of the procedure, reiterating his administration’s determination towards holistic transformation of the Centre.