Insolite: an AirPod accidentally swallowed and still intact

After an obligatory trip to the emergency room, all's well that ends well. And to top it all off, the young woman discovered that the Apple headset still worked perfectly.

Many of us use our AirPods in bed, whether to listen to music, podcasts, or even to watch a Netflix series before falling into the arms of Morpheus. If some of us tend to fall asleep without thinking of stowing Apple's wireless headphones in their case, here's a story that should put an end to that bad habit...

A panicked alarm clock

The story, initially relayed by our colleagues at Apple Insider, dates back only a few days. In the United States, Moe Kennedy suddenly woke up in the middle of the night, at around 3am. Realizing to her horror that she had obviously swallowed one of her AirPods in her sleep, the young woman panicked - and understandably so. Her first reflex, again quite understandable, is to try to vomit up the earpiece. When she fails to do so, there's only one thing left to do: rush to the nearest hospital, where medical professionals, used to dealing with the most unusual situations, will know what to do.

Once she arrived at Covington Medical Center in Washington State, the young woman had no choice but to explain - not without shame - her most peculiar situation. Specifically, she explained that she was certain she had swallowed one of her AirPods in her sleep. Logically, doctors must first ensure that the earpiece is located in her stomach. Once the scan was complete, it was confirmed: Moe Kennedy had indeed accidentally swallowed one of the Apple brand's earphones.

Une femme a retrouvé ses AirPods Pro après un voyage de neuf heures aux urgences qui s'est terminé par une endoscopie d’urgence.

Le 14 juin 2023, Moe Kennedy s'est retrouvée dans une situation inhabituelle lorsqu'elle a accidentellement avalé l'un de ses AirPods Pro pendant son sommeil. Ce qui n'était au départ qu'un rêve étrange s'est transformé en un voyage inoubliable aux urgences, qui restera gravé dans la mémoire de Moe Kennedy et de son équipe médicale pour les années à venir.

Vers 3 heures du matin, Kennedy s'est réveillée brusquement, réalisant qu'elle avait apparemment avalé l'un de ses AirPods Pro. Paniquée, elle a tenté en vain de le vomir.

Sa mère et elle ont décidé de faire preuve de prudence. Elles se sont rendues aux urgences du Covington Medical Center.

In view of the urgency of the situation, and to avoid any possible complications - since AirPods are only intended for their owners' ears - the doctors decided to perform a somewhat special endoscopy. While endoscopy normally involves inserting a flexible tube fitted with a miniature camera to observe the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum, the procedure can also be used for the emergency recovery of inadvertently swallowed objects, usually by children.

Once the AirPod had been removed from his stomach, Moe Kennedy was astonished to discover that it had survived the mishap perfectly. As a conclusion to this incredible story, Moe ironizes:

'Overall, I would 100% recommend the AirPods Pro, but I really wouldn't recommend eating them. I'm just glad I got away with it, and I'm laughing that I accidentally tested the AirPods Pro's ability to withstand stomach acid, which stayed in my stomach for at least 9 hours.''

More fear than harm, then, and proof that Apple's AirPods are truly foolproof in any situation.

"If you've ever lost an AirPod and you're wondering where to look... Maybe look in your stomach because maybe you've eaten it like I did," Moe says in a video posted to TikTok.

When Kennedy arrived, she had to explain her situation to the medical staff. They were surprised and amused to hear that her AirPods Pro were still working. Kennedy's mother could connect to them and hear her daughter's stomach sounds and laughter.

After conducting a CT scan, the medical team discovered that the AirPod had rapidly moved deeper into Kennedy's stomach and was stuck in a precarious position. There were concerns it could remain lodged or require a more invasive surgical procedure if not addressed promptly.

To prevent this, Kennedy was transported by ambulance to the hospital and underwent an emergency endoscopy.