Dig into fish carefully, warn experts

Manav Mander

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Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 4

Be cautious the next time you grab your favourite fish!

Cleaning, cooking and eating fish should be done carefully as its bone can get stuck in your throat.

Recently, a 40-year-old man had a fish bone stuck in his throat (food pipe) accidentally, causing obstruction, pain in throat and difficulty in breathing. He was unable to eat or drink anything for three days. As the condition became very uncomfortable, he visited Deepak Hospital.

Discussing the case, Chief gastroenterologist Dr Dinesh Gupta said the patient complained of having difficulty in eating or drinking anything, and was unable to breathe properly.

“A sharp fish bone had got stuck in his food pipe. It had to be removed to relieve the patient and get the breathing back to normal. Its removal was a risky procedure and could lead to massive bleeding and leaking of food pipe. We successfully removed this sharp bone through endoscopy, thus providing immediate relief to the patient and his family,” said Dr Gupta.

“Many cases of chicken and fish bones getting stuck in throat come to us. One should chew their fish or chicken properly. If a sharp bone without any flesh get stuck in the throat or food pipe, it can prove dangerous,” he said.

Make sure you clean the fish properly before cooking. If buying readymade or marinated, buy it from a good outlet and ensure that no bones are intact in the fish. And most importantly, chew your food well,” adds Dr Gupta.