Ahmedabad, February 3, 2026: A 1.5-year-old boy named Vansh in Ahmedabad underwent a complex procedure at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to remove a plastic Hulk toy from his stomach. The incident took place on January 18, 2026.
On that day, the child suddenly appeared distressed and began vomiting. The mother of the child, Bhavikaben, then noticed that a toy was missing. Upon questioning the child, he indicated that he had swallowed it. The family immediately rushed to the civil hospital, where doctors, with the help of an X-ray, found that the toy was stuck inside the child’s stomach.
Doctors provided details of the case, stating that the toy was not a small fragment but a full-sized figure with arms, legs, and a head. Dr. Rakesh Joshi, Head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery, explained to Desh Gujarat, “The biggest challenge was removing such a large object through the natural valve between the esophagus and the stomach. If it had moved further into the intestines, it could have caused a blockage or even rupture.”
According to him, the toy kept slipping during the endoscopic attempt due to the presence of air inside the stomach. This indicated that pulling the toy by the limbs could have caused it to get stuck in the valve, which could lead to permanent damage to the valve. The surgical team, with extreme care and patience, managed to grip the toy by its head and successfully extract it without complications.
The procedure was reportedly carried out on January 19, 2026. On that day, the department was hosting an international bladder exstrophy workshop still, Dr. Joshi personally led the emergency intervention, assisted by Dr. Sweta and the anesthesia team.
The child has now fully recovered and is in healthy condition. The child’s father, Bhaveshbhai Sahani, expressed gratitude and urged other parents to remain vigilant. “Children should never be allowed to play with such small toys without supervision. Because of the prompt action and skill of Civil Hospital doctors, my son is going home safely today,” he said.
The hospital has made the case public to raise awareness among parents and prevent similar incidents in the future.
(Rh/VK)
