8-Month-Old Baby Swallows Screw, Found in Scrotum... Removed by Surgery in China

Asymmetrical Buttock Crease Discovered, Additional Tests Conducted
Laparoscopic Surgery Removes Screw
"Child Swallowed Screw, It Slipped into the Scrotum"

A screw was found in the scrotum of an 8-month-old baby boy. China Jimu News

A screw was found in the scrotum of an 8-month-old boy, shocking Chinese society.

On the 24th (local time), local media including Zimu News reported that a pediatrician in China noticed asymmetry in the buttock folds while conducting a health checkup on an 8-month-old infant. Asymmetry in the buttock folds can indicate conditions such as hip dysplasia or abnormalities in the muscular nervous system. Accordingly, the doctor immediately conducted additional tests on the child. As a result, something resembling a screw was discovered in the scrotum.

The doctor requested assistance from the surgery and radiology departments, and the physicians suggested the possibility that the child had swallowed a screw and recommended surgery at a higher-level hospital. The child was promptly transferred to a large hospital, and the screw in the scrotum was safely removed through laparoscopic surgery. The doctor explained, "The screw was rusted," and added, "If it had been left untreated, it could have posed a greater risk." Furthermore, the doctor said, "The child has a congenital inguinal hernia, and this area is naturally relatively weak in tissue," adding, "It appears that the screw the child swallowed continued to move through the intestines, and part of the intestine that was wrapping around the screw slipped into the scrotum."

Netizens who heard the story responded with comments such as, "It's a relief that the child is safe," "The doctor acted quickly to prevent danger," and "I hope the child grows up healthy from now on."

Meanwhile, in August, metal objects such as screws and nuts were found inside the abdomen of a 37-year-old man in the UK. He visited the hospital with symptoms of abdominal pain and vomiting and underwent tests. Through open surgery, a total of 452 metal objects were removed. It was estimated that the man had been ingesting these objects for at least over three months, and medical staff diagnosed him with pica, an eating disorder characterized by repeatedly consuming non-food items. The causes of pica are unclear but are known to be potentially triggered by nutritional deficiencies, extreme anxiety and stress, chronic depression, and drug addiction. Additionally, pica can occur regardless of age, with cases confirmed even in a 3-year-old girl.