Toddlers put themselves in some truly terrifying situations. A toddler in Tarapoto, Peru, was playing on the farm where his mother works when he somehow managed to swallow eight medical grade needles that are typically used for injecting cows. Doctors say that he's lucky to have survived with little to no serious injuries.
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"Regarding the needles that her son ingested, the mother pointed out that it was an oversight by the owner of the farm where she works, as there are cattle there that are constantly attended to by a veterinarian," the regional government said in a statement provided by the Daily Mail.
"So, she presumes the needles used on the cows were the cause of this accident that fortunately did not become serious."
Once his mother realized that he had swallowed the needles, he was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
An X-ray revealed that two of the eight needles were on the left side of his peritoneum, which lines the inside wall of the abdomen. Another three were on the right side of the peritoneum, with one in the abdominal wall, just behind the peritoneum. Two were dangerously close to his rectum and bladder.
The surgery to remove the needles was done by Efraín Salazar Tito. In addition to the needle removal, he needed to have a small lesion on his small intestine treated. He was placed on a liquid diet to give his intestines time to heal.
The boy's symptoms were not revealed, so it's hard to know exactly how his mother realized what happened. The good thing is that she did.
"If it had not been for their timely surgical intervention, his health would have worsened and the outcome would have been different," the boy's mother, Narly Olórtegui Pisco, said, thanking Dr. Salazar.
