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The boy accidentally swallowed a sharp metallic object (a handbag zipper stopper) without his parents’ knowledge, leaving them completely unaware of the incident until symptoms such as cough, cold, irritability and crying on feeding appeared.
India
healthysoch
Mumbai/New Delhi, May 23, 2025:
A 10-month-old baby boy was successfully treated at Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital For Children after being diagnosed with a sharp metallic foreign body (zipper stopper of the handbag) lodged in his esophagus(food pipe) . A team of doctors headed by Dr Balagopal Kurup, Pediatric ENT, performed an Esophagoscopy (endoscopy of food pipe) under general anesthesia to safely remove the object.
Rohit Yadav (name changed),a resident of Mumbai, found that his infant son was having a cough and irritability for which he was taken to the Pediatrician. Even after treating for 2 weeks his symptoms of coughing and crying during feeding only increased. An Xray was done which revealed a metallic object in the food pipe. The panicked parents of the child brought him to Wadia Hospital for Children. The metallic foreign body was lodged in the mid esophagus at the level of T2-T4 vertebrae close to blood vessels of the heart, it was also causing noticeable compression on the windpipe. The parents were unaware of when or how the child had ingested the object.
Dr Balagopal Kurup, ENT and Pediatric Otorhinolaryngologist, Wadia Hospital, Mumbai, said, “The child underwent esophagoscopy under general anesthesia. The procedure lasted about an hour. An additional bronchoscopy (an endoscopy of windpipe) showed mid-tracheal compression but there was no tear. Esophagoscopy revealed ulceration and swelling around the impacted sharp-edged foreign body at the mid-esophageal level. Our Pediatric Anaesthesia team is one of the best in the world, they secured the airway and the foreign body was carefully removed. Due to ulceration seen on the left lateral wall of the esophagus where the object was lodged, a Ryles tube was inserted under vision beyond the ulcer to prevent any complications from a suspected esophageal tear. However, postoperative X-rays were normal.”
Dr Kurup further added, “The child was managed in the Intensive Pediatric Care Unit (IPCU) following the procedure. Ryle’s tube feeding was initiated on the second postoperative day. The child did well and underwent an additional confirmatory dye study to rule out Esophageal tear by our Pediatric Surgery team and was discharged in 5 days.
This case highlights the importance of timely intervention and the availability of advanced pediatric endoscopic facilities at Wadia Hospital. The seamless coordination between the surgical team, anesthesiologist , and critical care teams ensured a safe recovery for the infant without complications.”
“As parents, nothing prepares you for the shock of hearing that your baby has a sharp object lodged deep inside his body, especially when you never even saw it happen. We were devastated and overwhelmed with fear, not knowing how something like this could have occurred or what the outcome would be. The thought that our child was silently suffering for days broke our hearts. But from the moment we walked into Wadia Hospital, we were embraced with compassion, expertise, and hope. The doctors acted swiftly, and the care team worked with such precision and kindness, it felt like our child was in the safest hands. Watching him slowly recover, eat again, and smile has been the most emotional and relieving experience of our lives. We owe everything to the incredible team at Wadia Hospital, who not only saved his life but also gave us back our peace and joy. We will forever be grateful,”said the child’s elated father, Rohit Yadav (name changed).
HealthySoch
