Docs Remove 119 Nails From Woman's Stomach

HANOI, Vietnam (AP)—Physicians removed 119 nails—many of them rusty—from a woman's stomach months after she apparently swallowed them, a doctor said.

The 43-year-old woman arrived Wednesday at Hospital No. 121 in the southern city of Can Tho City, complaining of a severe stomachache, Dr. Tran Van Nam said Friday.

"After having her stomach X-rayed and scanned, we found a stack of strange objects and decided to operate as soon as possible,'' he said.

During surgery, doctors removed 119 nails, each about 3 inches long. Many were rusty, indicating they could have been in her stomach for months, Nam said.

The woman's stomach was scratched by the nails, but she did not suffer any major injuries, he said.

"Her life is not at risk now, and she is recovering,'' Nam said, adding that the patient was expected to be discharged soon.