Part of pill pack perforates woman's bowel after she accidentally swallows it

Taking pills is supposed to help people but it can make life miserable if necessary precautions aren’t taken. Packaging for medicines may not seem so harmful but it can wreak havoc on sensitive organs.

A 72-year-old woman perforated her bowel in multiple places after she accidentally swallowed the casing of her allergy pills. The sharp edges of the pack pierced her bowel and doctors had to remove 30 cm of the organ.

Pills commonly come in a plastic casing covered with an aluminium sheet and the sharp edges pose a risk if swallowed. The woman who complained of stomach pains said she struggled with discomfort for 15 days.

She was sent for surgery following a CT scan as doctors found four 5 mm perforations in the final sections of her intestine. Inspection of the removed part revealed the sharp edged piece.

The woman recovered quickly and was allowed to go home six days later.