Doctors shocked after woman swallows 7 inch spoon by accident

A woman accidentally swallowed a 17cm-long spoon when her dog jumped on her lap while she was eating yoghurt. Reymy Amelinckx, 28, said she had to decide in the moment between "choking or swallowing the spoon". She felt the implement "sliding down into my stomach smoothly".

The young woman, from Rumst in Belgium, said she was sitting on the sofa with the yoghurt when her energetic Hungarian Vizsla, Marley, suddenly jumped onto her. "I put the spoon in my mouth so I had my hands free to reply to a message," Ms Amelinckx said. "Just then, Marley decided to jump on me. I was so startled I jerked my head back, and before I knew it, the spoon was lodged in my throat. I stood up and started to panic."

Initially, Ms Amelinckx, who works as a medical representative, tried to remove the spoon with her hand, however, "everything happened so fast, it was either swallow or choke," she said.

When her boyfriend came home from work, she said she felt too embarrassed to tell him, so she "pretended nothing was wrong".

"I didn't feel bad at all - so I didn't say anything about it right away. It wasn't until after dinner that I realised it was actually quite serious. There was a 17-centimetre spoon in my stomach.

"Online, everywhere said the same thing: go straight to the emergency room. It was only then that I realised how dangerous it could be."

Doctors told her the spoon was too large to pass naturally, so she had to return home and wait until a gastroscopy could be scheduled.

"That night was difficult, I felt the spoon moving, sometimes even between my ribs," she said. "I felt bloated and nauseous, and I couldn't eat without feeling strange. Sleeping was difficult because every position reminded me of the spoon in my stomach."

The utensil was removed two days later under local anaesthetic.

"I wasn't allowed to swallow while they pulled it up," Ms Amelinckx said. "They had to rotate it in my stomach, which caused a small gastric haemorrhage. It wasn't pleasant, but I felt pure relief when it came out."

She added: "I'm so glad the spoon was eventually removed with a gastroscopy and that they didn't have to surgically cut open my stomach."

A few hours later, the spoon swallower was allowed to go home, and thankfully, she recovered quickly, adding: "I had a sore throat due to damage to my oesophagus, a few minor gastric bleeding episodes, and a sensitive stomach for a while, but no permanent damage. I did, however, gain a lifelong reputation as 'that girl with the spoon'."

Despite the nasty experience, Ms Amelinckx decided to keep the spoon as a keepsake, adding that her boyfriend "wants to turn it into a work of art".

Ms Amelinckx shared some advice for fellow dog and yoghurt lovers - or those thinking of going hands-free with a utensil in order to text. She said: "Enthusiastic dogs plus eating on laps equals risk zone.

"Teach them a 'wait' or 'quiet' command for jumping moments. For yoghurt eaters: don't eat with cutlery completely in your mouth.

"Don't multitask with animals, and avoid jump scares and laughing with your mouth full. If you swallow something that really shouldn't be there: seek medical attention immediately.

"Embarrassment is temporary, internal damage isn't."

Ms Amelinckx said added: "It's a bizarre story, but one with a happy ending - and a legendary anecdote for parties."