Cough sent a pin straight into the windpipe

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

A moment of carelessness nearly turned fatal in an incident reported at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). An 18-year-old woman was holding a clothing pin in her mouth when she suddenly coughed, causing the pin to slip directly into her windpipe. She experienced difficulty in breathing, severe pain and panic. However, doctors from the ear, nose and throat department at GMCH successfully saved her life with timely and skilled treatment.

The incident occurred on Friday when the young woman was holding a pin in her mouth while fixing her clothes. At that moment, she developed a cough and the pin lodged in her windpipe. Initially, she assumed that the pin had gone into her stomach and would pass naturally. However, when her discomfort increased on Saturday, she was admitted to GMCH. An X-ray confirmed that the pin was stuck in the windpipe.

Under the guidance of dean Dr Shivaji Sukre, ENT specialist Dr Shailesh Nikam removed the pin using bronchoscopy. Support was provided by department head Dr Sunil Deshmukh, Dr Prashant Keche, Dr Sonali Jataale, resident doctors Dr Ojas Kulkarni, Dr Amol Gawai, Dr Pratyusha, Dr Omprakash, anaesthetists Dr Gayatri Tadwalkar and Dr Vidya Lavand, along with in-charge sister Ashwini Zhende and brother Rahul Shinde. The patient was discharged on Monday.

10 similar cases in two years

In the past two years, 10 young women have accidentally swallowed pins and were treated at GMCH. Dr Shailesh Nikam advised women to keep pins aside instead of holding them in the mouth.

photo captions

– pin visible in the X-ray

– ent specialist Dr Shailesh Nikam removing the pin from the windpipe

– the removed pin