If a morsel gets stuck in the throat's narrow passage, a person experiences unbearable pain and seeks liberation from the unintended prison. Swallowing becomes a laborious task, as each attempt to dislodge the stubborn hitch brings forth a gasp of frustration. A man in Singapore experienced something similar when an octopus got stuck in his oesophagus or food pipe. The unnamed patient realised something was wrong after he started throwing up following a meal that included the eight-legged creature at a dinner.
The incident took place in 2018 and was covered extensively by leading medical journals. According to the case study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CGH), the man was 55 years old and came to Tan Tock Seng hospital with acute onset of dysphagia after the meal.
Doctors conducted a CT scan, which revealed a super-dense mass in the man's oesophagus, also known as gullet.
An esophagogastroduodenoscopy - a gastrointestinal examination involving a small, flexible tube - later revealed the octopus lodged 5 cm from the cardioesophageal junction - the oesophagus-stomach border.
The photos published in the journal make it appear like it is a scene from Ridley Scott's 'Alien' movie.
Initial attempts at extracting or pushing of the food bolus were unsuccessful, as per the case study. Finally, the scope was maneuvered carefully past the food bolus into the stomach and retroflexed.
The doctors then used forceps to grasp the octopus head, gently pulling it out of the patient's body.
The man recovered well after the procedure and was discharged after two days.
"The 'push technique' is the primary method recommended with high success rates, however applying excessive force can cause oesophageal perforation," said the medical team.
This is not the first incident when such an incident has been reported. In 2016, a two-year-old boy in Kansas was hospitalised after getting an octopus lodged in his throat after a sushi meal, according to New York Post.
