A 23-year-old man from northern China, Xiaoma, recently learned that a dice had been stuck in his nasal cavity for over 20 years, causing persistent sneezing and a runny nose.
After enduring chronic nasal problems for a month, Xiaoma sought medical help at Xian Gaoxin Hospital when traditional Chinese medicine did not alleviate his symptoms. Initially diagnosed with allergic rhinitis, further examination revealed a foreign object in his nasal passage.
Yang Rong, an otolaryngologist at the hospital, detailed the discovery: “During the nasal endoscopy, we found a white lump coated in secretions. It was a two-cm dice, partially corroded after being lodged in his nasal cavity for so long. It was situated in the lower nasal passage and had damaged the nasal mucosa.”
Surgeons successfully removed the dice, believed to have been inhaled when Xiaoma was around three or four years old.
The removal astonished Xiaoma and captured the attention of the Chinese online community.