Kolkata: Man swallows 639 iron nails, doctors safely extract using magnet

Doctors in Calcutta Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata successfully removed over 600 iron nails from the stomach of a patient. A 40-year-old man, who, hospital sources said was not “mentally fit”, was brought to the hospital on complaint of severe abdominal pain.

When doctors conducted an ultrasonography test, they were shocked to find found out 639 iron nails in his stomach, which he had swallowed over a period of time.

“He was suffering from acute abdominal pain. An ultrasonography test was conducted in which 639 iron nails were found in his stomach. Due to the presence of so many nails, his stomach had become abnormally big”, said a doctor.

A medical team was formed under the leadership of hospital’s senior surgeon Siddhartha Biswas to carry out an otherwise “too risky” operation.

Doctors first cut the stomach of the patient and then carefully removed all the nails using a magnet. According to a doctor involved in the surgery, the patient had swallowed the nails with soil, and they did not pierce his stomach.