Belgian Woman Hospitalised After Accidentally Swallowing 17cm Spoon
By Mercy Omotosho
28-year-old woman in Belgium has been rushed to hospital after accidentally swallowing a 17-centimetre spoon while eating yoghurt at home, an incident doctors later described as potentially life-threatening.
The woman, Reymy Amelinckx, from Rumst, said the incident occurred when her dog suddenly jumped on her as she sat on the couch with a spoon in her mouth, causing her to lose control and swallow the object.
According to her account, she had briefly placed the spoon in her mouth to free her hands to respond to a message when the unexpected movement startled her.
Efforts to remove the spoon failed, forcing her to swallow it in panic.
Amelinckx said she initially played down the situation and did not immediately inform her boyfriend, believing she was not in danger as she felt no immediate pain. However, after later realising the seriousness of the situation and reading medical advice online, she presented herself at an emergency department.
Medical examinations revealed that the spoon was too large to pass through her digestive system naturally.
Doctors subsequently scheduled a gastroscopy to extract the object, warning that leaving it in place could cause serious complications.
While awaiting the procedure, Amelinckx reported discomfort, nausea and bloating, saying she could feel the spoon moving inside her body, which made sleeping and eating difficult.
Two days later, doctors successfully removed the spoon during a gastroscopy performed under local anaesthetic. The procedure resulted in minor internal bleeding, but no permanent damage was recorded.
Amelinckx said she experienced temporary throat soreness and stomach sensitivity during recovery but was discharged without complications. She later expressed relief that surgery was not required.
Following the incident, she advised the public to avoid distractions while eating, particularly around pets, and urged anyone who swallows a foreign object to seek immediate medical attention.
