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A man in China lived with a metal chopstick lodged in his throat for eight years after accidentally swallowing it during dinner, before finally having it removed in March 2026.
According to a hospital case study published that month, the patient—identified only as Mr. Wang—initially sought medical attention in 2018 shortly after swallowing the five-inch utensil but refused treatment.
Wang, 46, reportedly declined surgery at the time because he did not want doctors to cut open his neck, choosing instead to endure the discomfort for years, the South China Morning Post reported.
However, several weeks ago, he began experiencing increasing difficulty swallowing and returned to Dalian Municipal Central Hospital in Liaoning Province for help.
Surgeons successfully removed the chopstick using a minimally invasive procedure through his mouth, avoiding the need for an external incision.
“He told us a chopstick was trapped in his throat,” said Dr. Huang Weipeng. “I thought it had just happened, but he said it was eight years ago.”
Fortunately, his vocal cords and surrounding mucous membranes were not damaged and continued to function normally after the surgery.
Wang was discharged a few days later and is expected to make a full recovery.
