In a bizarre and alarming medical case, a Chinese man lived for nearly five months with a 15-centimeter-long spoon lodged in his stomach—completely unaware of its presence and believing he had only dreamt about swallowing it. The man, identified as Yan, approached doctors in Shanghai in June after experiencing mild stomach discomfort. He feared he might have accidentally swallowed a piece of plastic while eating takeaway food. However, what doctors discovered during the medical examination left them stunned: a large ceramic spoon was stuck deep inside his small intestine.
Upon questioning, Yan revealed a shocking backstory. Five months earlier, during a trip to Thailand, he had consumed excessive alcohol. In a drunken state in his hotel room, he attempted to induce vomiting using a coffee spoon. The spoon slipped from his hand and slid down his throat. He passed out shortly afterward. When he woke up the next morning, Yan had only a faint recollection of the incident. The memory felt so surreal that he dismissed it as a vivid dream and carried on with his life. For the next five months, he maintained his usual exercise routine and experienced no serious health issues, making the presence of the spoon even more astonishing.
Doctors at Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital warned that the situation could have turned fatal. “Had the spoon shifted slightly, it could have punctured the intestine, leading to inflammation or severe internal bleeding,” said one of the surgeons.
Removing the spoon was a complex task due to its smooth and slippery surface. An endoscopic surgery was performed on June 18. The first attempt using snare forceps failed, but after a 90-minute operation, the medical team successfully extracted the spoon.
Yan has since been discharged and is now recovering. The case serves as a cautionary tale about the unpredictable consequences of intoxication—and how reality can sometimes be stranger than dreams.