The Ministry of Health has ordered an investigation after it was reported that a pair of scissors had been found inside a man from Bac Kan Province after 18 years.
Bac Kan Department of Health was asked to investigate the case on December 29.
54-year-old Ma Van Nhat complained of a stomach ache and went to Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Hospital. The ultrasound result on December 25 shows that there is a 15-centimetre-long pair of surgical scissors inside his abdomen. The ultrasound result at Bac Kan General Hospital also gave the same result.
Surgical scissors found inside Nhat's abdomen
According to Nhat, he had a traffic accident in 1998 and was operated on at Bac Kan General Hospital. The operation was successful. His health returned to normal, and his appetite and daily activities weren't affected. Sometimes he would feel the pain but it was bearable and went away after one or two days.
Nhat lives in a remote area so travelling to hospital is not easy to him.
Leaders of Bac Kan General Hospital said they were reviewing the case to see who operated on him that year. However, the document may have been lost or destroyed. The hospital is working with Nhat's family and will invite the best surgeons from the Viet-Germany Hospital to remove the scissors.
The Ministry of Health has asked Bac Kan General Hospital to report to the Medical Services Administration by January 6.
