BENGALURU: A 55-year-old woman who unknowingly inhaled a sharp metallic cloth pin while shopping was successfully treated, after the object remained lodged deep in her lung for over a month.
Despite visiting multiple healthcare centres, the cause of her persistent dry cough went undiagnosed until advanced imaging at Aster CMI revealed the foreign body embedded in her right lung’s bronchus intermedius.
In a rare and complex intervention, doctors retrieved the pin using a minimally invasive bronchoscopic technique involving a Fogarty balloon catheter, a type of procedure that allows doctors to look inside the airways, avoiding further damage to the airway and ensuring a full recovery.
The woman had placed the pin in her mouth while checking clothes in a shop. When she suddenly sneezed, the pin slipped into her airway and got stuck in a part of the right lung called the bronchus intermedius. Over the next few weeks, she had a dry cough and wheezing but no one could figure out the cause, despite her visiting multiple hospitals.
Doctors at Aster CMI took detailed scans, including a chest X-ray and CT scan, which clearly showed the pin stuck inside and attached to the airway wall. Dr Sunil Kumar K, Lead Consultant - Interventional Pulmonologist at the hospital, said the pin’s sharp end had pierced into the lung, making it risky to remove with normal tools. So, the team used a Fogarty balloon to gently move it out and then pulled it out using special forceps, all done while the patient was under sedation.
She recovered well and was sent home in a stable condition with no breathing issues. The hospital said this case shows how important it is to diagnose unusual causes of cough and to be careful about keeping sharp objects near the mouth.