Doctors at Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) and B J Medical College (BJMC) saved a one-year-old child by removing a stone lodged in the airway, preventing a potentially fatal blockage, hospital officials said on Monday.
The incident occurred on March 28, when the child accidentally swallowed small pieces of stone two days earlier while playing. Initially, the parents consulted a local doctor and were assured the object would pass naturally. However, the child developed intermittent coughing episodes the following day, prompting the family to rush to Sassoon Hospital.
The boy was admitted to the ENT department of SGH on March 30. An X-ray revealed a radio-opaque foreign body lodged at the trachea’s bifurcation, extending up to the carina and into the right main bronchus — a critical location that can lead to airway obstruction, said the officials in a statement released on Thursday.
“Such foreign bodies can be life-threatening if not removed in time, as they may cause obstruction or damage to the airway,” said a senior doctor involved in the treatment.
Considering the risk involved, the medical team performed an emergency rigid bronchoscopy to retrieve the object. Rahul Telang, professor and head of the ENT department at BJMC, led the procedure.
{{/usCountry}}Considering the risk involved, the medical team performed an emergency rigid bronchoscopy to retrieve the object. Rahul Telang, professor and head of the ENT department at BJMC, led the procedure.
{{/usCountry}}The team successfully located and removed the stone without complications. Hospital officials said the child is currently stable, recovering well and will be discharged in a couple of days.