A real West China Hospital case: how one fish bone became an SCI-worthy vascular surgery story

[einstein]

This WeChat article tells a rare medical case from West China Hospital of Sichuan University. A patient first felt chest discomfort after eating fish. A CT scan later showed that a fish bone had pierced through the esophagus and entered the thoracic aorta, creating a dangerous aorto-esophageal fistula risk.

The first emergency thoracic exploration repaired the aortic injury, but the fish bone could not be found. Follow-up imaging then showed something even more unusual: the fish bone had migrated with the bloodstream and lodged in the hepatic artery. After multidisciplinary imaging, ultrasound localization, and careful surgical planning, the team eventually removed a roughly 2 cm fish bone and repaired the damaged hepatic artery.

The case is interesting because migrating foreign bodies inside the arterial system are extremely rare. It also shows how vascular surgery, radiology, ultrasound, emergency care, and careful family communication all mattered in the final outcome.

Practical takeaway: if a fish bone gets stuck, do not swallow rice balls, vinegar, or other home remedies. Seek medical help quickly, especially if pain continues or moves to the chest or abdomen.

Source article: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/rJslILroUFued2S21wiEvQ

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