Story By: John Feng, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

This footage shows a toothbrush in the stomach of a pensioner before doctors finally remove it after she swallowed it nine months earlier but did nothing as she thought she would poo it out.

The 66-year-old patient, who was identified by her surname Zhang, sought out doctors at the Siyang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in East China’s Jiangsu Province complaining of stomach pains.

Gastroenterologist Yao Yejun then made the shocking discovery during an inspection of her digestive system.

Pictures Credit: AsiaWire

Yao said: “During the endoscopy into the patient’s stomach, we found the toothbrush handle. We were all very surprised.”

Zhang revealed that she had accidentally swallowed the toothbrush in August last year when she choked on her meal and used the instrument to try force the food down.

The pensioner said the attempt made her gag and the brush head snapped off the handle, resulting her swallowing the remainder of the rubber section.

Zhang believed the toothbrush handle would be digested and decided not to go to the hospital when she found herself still able to drink water and eat food.

Doctor Yao said: “Failing to immediately remove the toothbrush could’ve caused a bleed in her digestive system or an infection.

“We attempted to remove the toothbrush handle using basket grasping forceps; however, without a brush head, the handle was too slippery to grip.

“In the end we grasped it using a snare loop, repositioned it and then slowly pulled it out.”

The procedure took all but 10 minutes, and Zhang is not expected to suffer negative consequences from her experience.