A 16-year-old boy with intellectual disability underwent emergency surgery at a private hospital in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, after imaging revealed an unexpected collection of metallic and other foreign objects in his stomach. The teenager, from Ayyampalayam village, presented with severe abdominal pain and vomiting. Dr. Sundarapandian, general surgeon at the hospital, advised imaging after the initial evaluation, which showed multiple sharp and metallic objects within the stomach.

The history provided by the boy’s mother added another clue. She reported that household items, including nail cutters and chains, had been disappearing from their home over time. Given the nature and number of objects identified on imaging, the surgical team proceeded with an emergency operation on Thursday night with an anesthetist involved in the procedure. Intraoperatively, the team retrieved 23…