Question:
3 year out RNY swallowed gauze

My sister is three years out from her rny surgery. She went to the dentist yesterday and had a tooth pulled. When she went to take her tylenol she accedently swallowed the gauze they had pack in her gum. Should she be worried or will this just pass through her system.    — NovemberHope (posted on May 27, 2009)

May 27, 2009
Have her call her surgeon since there is a stoma and much smaller opening she may run into problems.
   — abuddingrose

May 28, 2009
She needs to see the doctor. It could get stuck.
   — trible

May 28, 2009
I can't even imagine...I got a roasted tomatoe or pepper skin stuck over my stoma at 2 1/2 years post op and thought I was dying for 8 hours on a long road trip and then was in pain 3 days after it finally came up (rather than out the other end)...I imagine that she'll know if she's in trouble immediately...If it goes past the stoma and into the bowels...I'd be afraid it may cause an obstruction which could take a few days to back up and notice...I hope you all have a plan to at least speak to her surgeon or someone from a bariatric unit at the hospital...JUST in case it doesn't work it's way out...Someone asked me this question about a tootsie roll once before...That was far easier to answer! I hope she's okay!
   — .Anita R.