A 32-year-old man’s unexplained and severe abdominal pain has finally been traced to a surprising cause after doctors discovered a thermometer lodged inside his body—believed to have been swallowed nearly two decades earlier.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the object was detected through X-ray scans during medical examinations. The man had reportedly swallowed the thermometer when he was around 12 years old but never informed his family at the time.
Medical staff noted that he did not experience immediate symptoms following the incident, making the case particularly rare and difficult to detect over such a long period.
The patient has since undergone a procedure to remove the thermometer and is said to be recovering well following the successful operation.
Doctors highlighted that cases involving long-term retained foreign objects are extremely uncommon, especially those that remain undetected for many years without causing earlier complications.
