Drunk Man Mistakes Swallowing Spoon for a Dream
CHINA – A 29-year-old man, known only as Yan, accidentally swallowed a spoon while on vacation in Thailand in January 2025. At the time, he was drunk and believed the entire incident was just a strange dream.
Six months later, in June 2025, Yan began experiencing stomach pain. Concerned, he went to Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital to get checked. He told doctors he might have swallowed a piece of plastic while eating takeout food, which he thought was causing the discomfort.
However, when doctors reviewed his X-ray, they were shocked to find a full 15-centimeter ceramic spoon inside him. It had become lodged in his duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. Doctors explained that the spoon’s position was highly dangerous—if it shifted even slightly, it could tear the intestine, cause inflammation, and lead to serious internal bleeding.
That was when Yan realized the dream he had back in Thailand was real. He recalled drinking heavily that night and feeling nauseous. While in his hotel room, he tried to make himself vomit using a ceramic coffee spoon. Unfortunately, he pushed the spoon too far and passed out due to intoxication. The next day, he barely remembered anything, except the strange dream of swallowing a spoon. He also felt some stomach discomfort but assumed it was just from vomiting.
After a few days, the pain went away, and for the next six months, Yan lived normally. He went to work, exercised regularly, and felt fine—until the stomach pain returned and became unbearable.
Doctors informed him that the spoon had to be removed immediately. On June 18, Yan underwent endoscopic surgery. Initially, doctors couldn’t remove the spoon because its smooth ceramic surface was too slippery. They eventually used two types of forceps to reposition it, then successfully extracted it with a snare tool after about 90 minutes.
Yan has since been discharged from the hospital. He’s grateful that despite the bizarre situation, he was able to live normally for six months—and that the issue was finally resolved safely.