GMCH doctors remove inhaled metal pin from 18-year-old’s lower respiratory system

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A team of doctors at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) successfully performed a life-saving procedure to remove a plastic-headed metal pin from the respiratory system of an 18-year-old girl. The incident occurred on Jan 16 while the girl was fastening her headgear. According to Shailesh Nikam of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) department at GMCH, the teenager had placed the pin between her teeth when a sudden bout of coughing caused her to accidentally inhale the object. Initially, the girl and her family believed the pin had been swallowed and would pass naturally through her digestive tract. However, she soon began experiencing chest pain and increasing difficulty in breathing, prompting her family to rush her to the ENT department. Medical investigations revealed a far more serious situation than the family had anticipated. "The investigations showed that the metal pin was not in the stomach but was stuck inside the left bronchus of the lower respiratory system," Nikam said. "The condition required urgent medical intervention to prevent further complications." On Jan 17, Nikam and his team performed a bronchoscopy — a minimally invasive procedure — to safely extract the pin. Reflecting on the risks, Nikam noted, "The patient was fortunate that the pin remained lodged in the upper part of the respiratory tree. Had it slipped further down, it could have caused severe damage to the lungs or other vital internal organs." The successful intervention was a collaborative effort led by Sunil Deshmukh, head of the ENT department, and a skilled medical team comprising Prashant Keche, Sonali Jatale, Ojas Kulkarni, Amol Gawai, Gayatri Tadwalkar, and Vidya Lawand.