5 days ago
Doctors Remove Chikoo Seed Lodged In Man’s Airway
A man had trouble breathing and wheezed for almost three months.
Doctors discovered that a chikoo seed was stuck deep inside his breathing tube.
He had accidentally inhaled the seed while eating chikoo.
The seed was blocking most of the airway to his left lung.
Doctors used a camera and a small mesh tool to remove it.
The procedure took about 50 minutes.
His breathing improved right away.
Doctors say people with breathing problems after choking should get medical help quickly.
A 38-year-old Ulwe resident experienced recurring breathlessness and wheezing for nearly three months.
Doctors found a chikoo seed lodged in and almost completely blocking his left main bronchus.
The seed was removed through a 50-minute flexible bronchoscopy using a mesh snare.
The patient’s breathing improved immediately, and he was discharged about two hours later without complications.
Doctors warned that delayed diagnosis can cause infections, recurrent pneumonia, or collapse of the affected lung.
- Who
- A 38-year-old Ulwe resident, treated by pulmonologists at Medicover Hospitals, Kharghar.
- What
- Doctors removed a chikoo seed that had been lodged in his left main bronchus for nearly three months.
- Where
- Medicover Hospitals in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.
- When
- The seed remained lodged for nearly three months; the removal procedure occurred after his recurring symptoms led to bronchoscopy.
- Why
- Persistent breathlessness and wheezing prompted further examination, which revealed the airway obstruction.
Key facts
- Patient
- 38-year-old Ulwe resident
- Foreign body
- Chikoo, or sapodilla, seed
- Location
- Left main bronchus
- Duration
- Nearly three months
- Procedure
- Flexible bronchoscopy using a mesh snare
- Procedure duration
- Nearly 50 minutes
- Outcome
- Immediate breathing relief; discharged about two hours later without complications
Quotes
Dr Shahid Patel
Consultant Pulmonologist at Medicover Hospitals, Kharghar
“People should avoid talking, laughing or rushing while eating, as this can increase the risk of accidentally inhaling food particles or seeds into the airway. Anyone who develops persistent cough, wheezing or breathing difficulty after a choking episode should seek medical attention without delay. Bronchoscopy remains the gold standard for identifying and removing foreign bodies from the airways.”
freepressjournal.in
“Foreign body aspiration in adults is relatively uncommon and often goes undiagnosed when there is no clear history of choking. In this case, the chikoo seed had remained in the airway for nearly three months and had become firmly stuck to the bronchial wall. Its smooth and slippery surface also made it difficult to obtain a secure grip with the bronchoscopic instruments.”
freepressjournal.in









