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News: He Swallowed a Toothpick. It Could... (The New York Times) - Behind the headlines

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Media coverage of health and science topics

The New York Times Jan. 30, 2019

He Swallowed a Toothpick. It Could Have Killed Him. (Published 2019)

by DENISE GRADY

For several weeks, a young athlete’s symptoms stumped doctors, despite tests and scans. Unnoticed in a sandwich or wrap, toothpicks can do a surprising amount of damage in the digestive tract, and beyond.

Read more at The New York Times

Behind the headlines

Research findings and data from the National Library of Medicine

PubMed articles

World J Surg JAN. 1, 2014

Accidentally ingested toothpicks causing severe gastrointestinal injury: a practical guideline for diagnosis and therapy based on 136 case reports

C Steinbach et al

Toothpick ingestion is a medical emergency. Perforations of the intestine are common and the associated mortality is high. Adequate therapy depends on localization of the …

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