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A 70-year-old woman swallowed a needle accidentally and lived with it for a month before seeking medical attention.

Shocked doctors found the three-centimetre long needle stuck near vocal chords during an endoscopy and removed it successfully relieving her of the pain.

The incident occurred in Haveri in South India on 2 July.

Paravva Baavikatti, 70, a resident of a nearby village swallowed a stitching needle, which had fallen into her breakfast accidentally, in early June.

The needle which was washed down with water buried itself in the flesh near the vocal chords.

Paravva developed pain immediately, which she interpreted as a sore throat, and tried to ignore it. But the pain continued over the next few days and a village doctor prescribed her some medicine.

The medicine failed to work and the pain aggravated making it difficult for her to swallow anything.

Nearly after a month after swallowing the needle Paravva went to Rudramma Memorial Hospital in Haveri with a swollen throat and unbearable pain.

Surgical gastroenterologist Dr Girish Malladad initially suspected growth of a tumour and performed an endoscopy to probe further. He was shocked to find a needle buried in the flesh.

Dr Girish removed the needle successfully and said: “The procedure was complicated. As the needle was near the airway we could not put her under anesthesia,” he said.

Dr Girish said he was amazed that the woman had managed to bear the pain for a month.

A 70-year-old woman swallowed a needle accidentally and lived with it for a month before seeking medical attention.

Shocked doctors found the three-centimetre long needle stuck near vocal chords during an endoscopy and removed it successfully relieving her of the pain.

The incident occurred in Haveri in South India on 2 July.

Paravva Baavikatti, 70, a resident of a nearby village swallowed a stitching needle, which had fallen into her breakfast accidentally, in early June.

The needle which was washed down with water buried itself in the flesh near the vocal chords.

Paravva developed pain immediately, which she interpreted as a sore throat, and tried to ignore it. But the pain continued over the next few days and a village doctor prescribed her some medicine.

The medicine failed to work and the pain aggravated making it difficult for her to swallow anything.

Nearly after a month after swallowing the needle Paravva went to Rudramma Memorial Hospital in Haveri with a swollen throat and unbearable pain.

Surgical gastroenterologist Dr Girish Malladad initially suspected growth of a tumour and performed an endoscopy to probe further. He was shocked to find a needle buried in the flesh.

Dr Girish removed the needle successfully and said: “The procedure was complicated. As the needle was near the airway we could not put her under anesthesia,” he said.

Dr Girish said he was amazed that the woman had managed to bear the pain for a month.

“The needle was beginning to rust and the wound would have turned infectious. She was lucky to survive despite coming to u