Be careful of using old and tired wire barbecue brushes when cleaning your hot plate. A 39-year-old man from NSW Coffs Coast went to Coffs Harbour Hospital complaining of a vague pain in his abdomen. After a CT scan, General Surgery Trainee Dr Rafael Gaszynski operated on the man to discover a wire embedded in his duodenum. The patient had swallowed a dislodged bristle along with food that had been cooked on the barbecue. Also, a lesson for surgeons – expect the unexpected!