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Remove false teeth before general anaesthetic, doctors warn

False teeth need to be taken out before a general anaesthetic, doctors warn in the journal BMJ Case Reports after a 72 year old man’s dentures got stuck in his throat during surgery to remove a harmless lump in his abdominal wall, and went undiscovered for eight days.

Aside from experiencing considerable pain, bleeding, and swallowing difficulties, the oversight led to repeated hospital visits, additional invasive tests, blood transfusions, and eventually more surgery for the man.

The doctors describe how six days after abdominal surgery, the man turned up at A&E complaining of blood in the mouth and swallowing difficulties and pain, which had prevented him from eating solid food ever since.

Nothing in his test results prompted doctors to consider anything other than a respiratory infection and the side effects of having had a tube down his throat during his operation.

He was therefore prescribed mouthwash, antibiotics and steroids, and sent home.

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