"The anus tightens!" It is embarrassing to talk about anal foreign bodies, which is much more serious than "shame".

In the Second Department of Anorectal Surgery of Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine) , several special patients were admitted one after another in March. Their common problem was that there were foreign objects in the anus, and most of these foreign objects were bones.

Case: Mr. Sun, 21 years old, suffered from anal pain and bloody stool after defecation, and felt a foreign body sensation in his anus, so he went to the Anorectal Department II of Hunan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine) for treatment.

Upon examination, the attending physician found a 0.5 cm white round indurated mass at 5 o'clock on the knee-chest position at the anal margin, 3.5 cm away from the anus. Small cord-like objects could be felt under the skin extending into the anus. Branch-like objects could be felt inside the anus, inserting horizontally into the anal canal, which was obviously painful.

The patient underwent emergency surgery. The surgeon removed an irregular hard shell-like object (suspected to be a flat, sharp bone) measuring about 2.5×2 cm from the anus. After the surgery, the patient was cured and discharged from the hospital after receiving symptomatic treatment such as anti-infection, analgesia, and fluid replacement.

Chief Physician Zhao Liang, head of the Second Department of Anorectal Surgery at the Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine), will give you a scientific understanding of anal foreign bodies and the correct way to deal with them, helping you stay away from health risks.

What is an anal foreign body?

Anal foreign bodies are foreign objects that are not human tissue and get stuck in the anus or at the end of the rectum. The sources are divided into two categories:

1. Entering through the mouth: Fish bones, etc. are not digested and retained in the anus.

2. Entry through the anus: trauma (such as falling on a sharp object) or artificial insertion of foreign objects.

Foreign bodies in the anus - 4 major danger signs

1. Anal pain : especially aggravated during bowel movements or activities.

2. Foreign body sensation : anus swelling, blockage and discomfort.

3. Blood in stool : There is bright red blood or mucus in the stool.

4. Infection : Delaying treatment may cause infection, resulting in symptoms such as fever and perianal abscess.

Please note that children have limited ability to express themselves. If they cry, refuse to defecate, or have redness and swelling of the anus, you need to be alert to the possibility of foreign objects.

How to deal with anal foreign body - three steps of first aid

Do not operate on your own! Seek medical attention immediately!

1. Stop defecation and reduce activities to avoid secondary injury.

2. Professional handling:

Non-invasive removal: Foreign bodies that are small in size, shallow in position and round in shape can be directly removed by medical staff after lubrication and anal dilation.

Surgical removal: Foreign bodies that are deep-seated, sharp in shape, and difficult to remove require surgical removal.

3. Postoperative care: Use antibiotics as directed by your doctor to prevent infection and keep the anal area clean.

Misconceptions clarified - three major misunderstandings

Misconception 1: Picking up the food yourself with chopsticks or tweezers

Unprofessional operation may push the foreign body deeper or cause secondary injury.

Myth 2: Taking large amounts of laxatives to promote excretion

Violent intestinal movements may cause sharp objects to pierce the intestinal wall, leading to emergencies such as peritonitis.

Myth 3: Using hot water to soften foreign matter

High temperature may aggravate local congestion and edema, making removal more difficult.

How to prevent anal foreign bodies?

1. Diet : Chew slowly and avoid swallowing fish bones and hard bones.

2. Child care : Avoid small toys, buttons, batteries, etc. from being accidentally inserted into the anus, and educate children to protect private parts.

3. Be cautious when attempting "special behaviors" : Avoid inserting foreign objects into the anus out of curiosity or for non-medical purposes, as such behaviors can easily lead to accidental retention.

Key reminder: Remember two sentences!

1. Don’t delay: If foreign objects remain in the anus for more than 24 hours, the risk of infection and complications increases significantly.

2. Don’t mess around: self-treatment may cause heavy bleeding or intestinal perforation!

Zhao Liang, chief physician and head of the Second Department of Anorectal Surgery at Hunan Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (affiliated hospital of Hunan Provincial Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine), reminds that foreign bodies in the anus are not a trivial matter that is "too embarrassing to talk about", but a health crisis that needs to be dealt with urgently. Remember: life safety is more important than embarrassment, and timely medical treatment is the only correct solution!

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Li Jin and Zhang Guiyu, Department of Anorectal Medicine II, Hunan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine)

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(Edited by ZS)