Weirdest/most difficult thing swallowed by a patient

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We're talking about pica in another thread and its left me wondering - what is the weirdest or most impossible thing swallowed by a patient that you have cared for?

(No urban legends, if you don't mind. Hoping for real stories.)

I once walked in on a patient eating the contents of a stress ball.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
I had a patient that swallowed a long wooden spoon and a plastic door stop (together)

Can you imagine the time and effort it took to swallow a long plastic spoon and a door stop!? Crazy.

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Specializes in Telemetry.
I once walked in on a patient eating the contents of a stress ball.

Did he think it was crushed Xanax? :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Bookmarking and sending to my hubby (along with the vajazzle kits) for possible Christmas present ideas...

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.
Did the pt survive?

No they didn't!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
How bout weirdest thing up a rectum? I'm an OR nurse and have taken out a large can of body spray and a remote control from a guys rectum before.

Billiard ball. Surgeon just couldn't get a grip on it. Finally, he threaded a foley past the ball, inflated the bladder and nudged the ball out.

12-inch handle to a plunger. Again, so slick with poo that surgeon couldn't get a grip. Finally reached the far end and was able to grasp the grooves that thread into the rubber part of the plunger.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

from my house supervisor days - had a patient that came in because she swallowed a bic pen - i got called to the OR because there was an issue with one of the nurses staying to recover the patient - if memory serves i believe we had another patient that needed to have the same procedure because he swallowed something odd (the contents of his stomach escapes me) but i remember her because the doctor was joking that he was looking for a pen to sign a for and said "wonder if that one still writes" then - in such a dark humor manner - same doc - says - "you know these 2 have similar interests; after this procedure - i should set them up". :sarcastic:

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
How bout weirdest thing up a rectum? I'm an OR nurse and have taken out a large can of body spray and a remote control from a guys rectum before.

Bicycle tire pump. Flat out honesty about wanting to feel what it was like, no crazy made up story.

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Bicycle tire pump. Flat out honesty about wanting to feel what it was like, no crazy made up story.

Can that physically fit in someone's mouth? :eek:

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

He put the hose in the other end of the GI tract and inflated himself.

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He put the hose in the other end of the GI tract and inflated himself.

The things that people think of... I could never be that creative.

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