5 kg of metal removed from man’s stomach

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDNov 26 2017

Doctors in Madhya Pradesh India, recently were shocked to find 5 kg of iron objects in a man’s stomach while operating on him for a suspected stomach bug.

The 32 year old man called Mohammed Maqsood Khan is from Sohaval in Satna district. He was complaining of abdominal pain for the last three months for which he was taken to the state-run Sanjay Gandhi Medical College and Hospital on 18th of November in adjoining Rewa district Madhya Pradesh.

Maqsood underwent an X ray and the cause behind his abdominal pain was identified as the presence of the surprising amount of metal inside his abdomen said Dr Priyank Sharma, attached to the Sanjay Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (SGMCH) who attended to Maqsood. Other tests were conducted to finally prepare the patient for surgery. He also underwent an abdominal endoscopy to look for the objects inside his stomach before he could be operated upon.

A team of six doctors including surgeons and anaesthetists operated on Maqsood until 5 kg iron objects including 263 coins and shaving blades and a chain were recovered. They also found pieces of glass, four big needles, a dozen shaving blades, stones, a six inch piece of rusted iron shackle that made up the 5 kg mass inside his stomach. Maqsood was undergoing treatment for six months in Satna from where he was referred to SGMCH.

According to the family Maqsood began eating metal items after he developed depression. The family however was unaware of this. He worked as a driver and would often swallow the coins that passengers gave him. For three months he had been complaining of abdominal pain.

According to Dr. Sharma, Maqsood seems to have an underlying psychological problem and at present he is “doing well” and under “observation of a team of experts.” The good part is that none of his internal organs are damaged due to this bizarre behaviour. One of the nails could have pierced the wall of the stomach leading to internal bleeding that could have been life threatening said one of the operating surgeons. The surgery thus was performed before any damage could have been done. Maqsood is now being observed closely and his underlying psychological problems are being treated to prevent future such occurrence.