Nagpur: In a medical feat that could easily be mistaken for a scene from a thriller, doctors at Midas Hospital successfully removed a razor blade lodged inside the oesophagus of a 40-year-old man, nearly two weeks after he swallowed it.
The patient, who has been living with schizophrenia for the past 15 years, was admitted to the hospital with severe difficulty in swallowing. What initially appeared to be a case of persistent dysphagia turned out to be far more alarming when an endoscopy revealed a razor blade embedded in his food pipe, along with a dangerous full-thickness perforation.
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22 Sept 2025
A team led by senior gastroenterologist Dr. Saurabh Mukewar undertook the high-risk endoscopic procedure on March 8. “It was a delicate operation — we had to carefully advance the scope and extract the blade without causing further injury,” Dr. Mukewar explained. The team not only retrieved the sharp object but also closed the perforation using a metal stent, ensuring the patient could safely recover.
But the medical challenge didn’t end there. A psychiatric evaluation revealed the patient suffered from delusions and auditory hallucinations, which likely drove him to swallow the blade. Importantly, doctors clarified the act was not suicidal but a result of his psychotic condition.
“This case tested both our medical expertise and our ability to deliver sensitive psychiatric care,” Dr. Mukewar said, underlining the hospital’s multidisciplinary approach. Thanks to timely intervention, the man has recovered well, is tolerating oral nutrition, and has been discharged in stable condition with follow-up psychiatric support.
