A stepmother claims her friend’s barbecue nearly killed her when she swallowed a wire bristle from a cleaning brush that was hidden in her kebab, impaling itself down her throat and leaving her to cough up $12,000 in medical bills.
It took nine months, multiple surgeries, 28 days without a voice, and a team of doctors to remove it; He now warns others against “dangerous” cleaning devices.
Jessica Doster of Indianapolis, Indiana, immediately knew something was wrong moments after eating a chicken kebab during a barbecue at a friend’s house, but she thought it was a stuck piece of food that left her gasping for air.
However, when the pain worsened, the 35-year-old went to A&E that night, but doctors simply told her she had probably “scratched her throat.”
Jessica could barely breathe or swallow whole foods and lost six pounds in less than a week due to the foreign object secretly hiding in her throat.
Jessica Doster, 35, of Indianapolis, Indiana, claims her friend’s barbecue nearly killed her when she swallowed a wire bristle from a cleaning brush that was hidden in her kebab.
Jessica was left with a scar after surgery to remove the wire bristle that had become stuck in her throat.
After days in excruciating pain, the stepmother visited an ENT doctor, who told her she had probably swallowed a bristle from a wire brush used to clean a barbecue.
An X-ray and CT scan confirmed the doctor’s suspicion, but doctors opted not to undertake the risky procedure of removing the one-inch metal wire for eight months because it had punctured Jessica’s esophagus.
Five years after the incident, the health administrator is still suffering the effects of what happened and asks that all wire brushes be removed from the shelves.
Jessica said: ‘I took a couple of bites (of my shish kebab) and immediately knew something was wrong.
‘I thought I had something stuck in my throat. There was a lot of pressure at the base of my neck.
“I had to stop eating immediately. I couldn’t swallow. I could sip water and whisper words. She knew something was very wrong.
‘Now we know that nerve was pinching my esophagus. I couldn’t eat solid food. I felt excruciating back pain that radiated down my back. He was now gasping for air as he breathed.
“I was afraid of dying in my sleep. I came home from the hospital and the pain was unbearable.
Jessica could barely breathe or swallow whole foods – she lost six pounds in less than a week due to the foreign object secretly hiding in her throat (pictured with husband Jason Doster, 36).
An X-ray and CT scan confirmed that a metal bristle was piercing his esophagus; However, a four-hour procedure to retrieve the cable was unsuccessful and left Jessica unable to speak for 28 days.
After six months of living with the wire in her throat, Jessica began experiencing throat pain once again and opted to undergo another surgery in January 2020 despite a “high probability” of failure.
She recalled: ‘I thought I was going to die. I was able to see an ENT doctor as an emergency and they couldn’t see anything, I immediately started crying.’
‘I had lost a significant amount of weight at this point. She hadn’t eaten in six days; she couldn’t even eat gelatin. She could only drink broth or water.’
After explaining that her pain started after eating grilled chicken, an ENT doctor told Jessica that she most likely swallowed a wire from a barbecue cleaning brush.
An X-ray and CT scan confirmed that a metal bristle was piercing his esophagus; However, a four-hour procedure to retrieve the cable was unsuccessful and left Jessica unable to speak for 28 days.
Jessica said: ‘When I went back for my post-op appointment they told me they were going to leave it in my throat.
‘He said people live with shrapnel in their bodies all the time and my body will adapt to it.
‘No surgeon wanted to go back there. My vocal cords were so damaged by the operation that they thought I would paralyze them if I had another surgery.’
After six months of living with the wire in her throat, Jessica began experiencing throat pain once again and opted to undergo another surgery in January 2020 despite a “high probability” of failure.
Pictured: The wire bristle that was stuck in Jessica’s throat for nine months.
Jessica’s voice is still hoarse from the incident and she had to shell out $12,000 in medical bills to pay for all of her treatment.
Jessica said: “The doctor said I was lucky to be alive because at the time the wire was against my carotid artery.”
‘It was a huge relief when they found him and got him out. It was actually 2cm long, almost the size of a sewing needle.
Jessica’s voice is still hoarse from the incident and she had to shell out $12,000 in medical bills to pay for all of her treatment.
She said: “I’m very worried that this could happen to the children and they won’t be able to explain what is happening to them.” This is not as rare as people think. It’s a strange accident but there are worse stories than mine.
‘Thankfully all my friends and family got rid of all their wire brushes after what happened to me. I don’t understand how they can still be sold in stores.
‘They are very dangerous and should absolutely be banned. There are other options for cleaning your grill besides this wire brush. If this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.’
According to a 2016 study, around 1,700 people went to the emergency room between 2002 and 2014 after eating wire bristles in roast food (file image)
She went on to detail the exhaustive list of appointments, time and money the long process required, as well as the mental traumas she endured, including nightmares, panic attacks and diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder.
He also took to social media to raise awareness about what happened to him earlier this month.
Jessica wrote on Facebook: ‘It’s May which means grilling and BBQ season is in full effect. Remember to never use wire brushes to clean your grills.
‘At age 29, my surgeon told me I was lucky to be alive because he had finally removed a wire bristle from a grill brush, the size of a horse hair, from my throat.
‘It pierced my esophagus behind my thyroid, traveled through my coval chords and landed against my carotid artery. It took nine months and a team of doctors to locate and remove the cable.’
She went on to detail the exhaustive list of appointments, time and money the long process required, as well as the mental traumas she suffered, including nightmares, panic attacks and diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder.
According to a 2016 study, about 1,700 people went to the emergency room between 2002 and 2014 after eating wire bristles in roast food.
And although it may seem like a small number, it only counts cases in which patients were admitted to the emergency room.
The study shows that injuries caused by grill brushes have been reported primarily in injuries to the mouth and throat, but in rare cases, some people have suffered stomach and intestinal injuries.
Instead of using a wire grill brush, experts recommend opting for a non-wire brush, cleaning block, stone, or dental floss to keep your grill clean and avoid trips to the emergency room.