In this week's issue of the British Medical Journal, radiologist Brian Witcombe surveys the medical risk of sword swallowing. (Previous BB post about sword swallowing here.) From the short journal paper:
Sword swallowing is not an illusion but, unlike in normal swallowing (when the tongue pushes the bolus up against the palate with the neck in a neutral position), the back of the tongue is pushed forwards and the neck hyperextended. Repeated practice enables suppression of the gag reflex. The pharynx is thrust forward and the cricopharyngeus relaxed. The sword may be passed after deep inspiration with the pharynx filled with air–one practitioner describes "sucking in" rather than swallowing the sword. Once past the pharynx, the lubricated sword is swiftly passed, straightening the distensible and elastic oesophagus. Gravity helps, for the performer is always upright.
The sword passes within millimetres of the heart, aorta, and other vitals but, surprisingly, few deaths related to sword swallowing have been described. A Canadian sword swallower did die, but that was after swallowing an umbrella. Another performer fell from the stage with the sword in situ, and was immediately taken for an x ray but remained unscathed. One amateur attempted to swallow a 90 cm blade while under the influence of alcohol and was said to have lacerated his oesophagus and punctured his lung, but the outcome is not known.
