Watch: Gujarat boy swallows ‘Hulk’ toy; doctors remove it via endoscopy

Children often have a habit of putting objects in their mouths, which can lead to serious health risks. In one such recent case, a one-and-a-half-year-old boy from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, accidentally swallowed his toy, a Hulk. He was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

His parents brought him to Civil Hospital, where he was attended by Dr. Rakesh Joshi, Head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery.

Doctors stated that the toy was stuck in the child’s stomach and could have potentially caused damage to his internal organs. An X-ray was conducted, followed by a challenging endoscopic procedure, which successfully removed the toy and brought the child out of danger. They removed the entire plastic toy through upper GI endoscopy.

“Had it been a little late, the toy could have moved further from the stomach and got stuck in the intestines. In that case, there would have been a risk of intestinal blockage and even rupture,” the senior doctor informed.

The incident came to light when the child’s mother found her son vomiting and learning that one of his toys was missing at the same time. Fearing that the toddler had swallowed his "green Hulk", the family rushed him to the healthcare.

Dr Joshi confirmed that the kid had swallowed the entire toy -- not a piece but a full-sized character with arms, legs and a head.

“There is a natural valve between the oesophagus and the stomach. The biggest challenge was to take out a whole toy through this valve. When we tried to grab it with the endoscope, the toy kept slipping because of the air in the stomach. Pulling the toy by its hand or foot raised the possibility of it getting stuck in the valve and causing it permanent damage,” he said.

The procedure was conducted on January 19, and the child is reported to be completely healthy.

(With PTI inputs)