anonymous

13th October 2018

THE PASSAGE OF THE DENTURES - 2

THE PASSAGE OF THE DENTURES - 2

DR H.L. CHULANI

It is generally believed that most doctors lead a dull boring and unexciting life. This is not really so. Let me tell you a story.

Mr Aswani was referred to me for complaint of pain during passing of stool. On enquiry, he did not volunteer information about having swallowed any object. On examination I found a hard mass in the rectum. I took him to the operation theatre and after giving him local anaes opened the anus to have a look within. Can you guess what I found? A pair of front dentures laughing at me! This was a time when the anus had the last laugh!

He then told me that he had accidently swallowed the denture when eating about a week ago. The denture had passed through the entire intestinal tract which is about twenty or more feet long without any discomfort, only to get stuck in the last few inches. I returned the retrieved dentures to him, but he had new ones made by then. He decided to keep them as a souvenir.

Compilation of professional reminiscences of specialists - edited by M.V.Kamath and Dr.Rekha Karmarkar