India: Doctors successfully remove needle from boy’s lungs using magnet
In a miraculous life-saving operation, Indian doctors successfully managed to remove a sewing needle from the lungs of a seven-year-old.
Interestingly, the operation was performed using a magnet that doctors urgently sourced from Chandni Chowk, one of Delhi’s oldest and busiest markets.
The boy was admitted to a private hospital after he developed a high fever and coughed up blood, reported Indian Express. When doctors found out that a needle had made its way to the boy’s left lung, he was transferred to All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)- Delhi on Wednesday (Nov 1).
Indian Express quoted Dr Vishesh Jain, Additional Professor in the Paediatric Department at AIIMS Delhi, as saying that the needle was stuck very deep in the lungs.
“Conventionally, we remove foreign bodies… through bronchoscopy. The challenge here was that it (the needle) was deeper in the lungs which meant less area available for us to use our instruments…,” he said, adding, “We then came up with the idea of using a magnet, which we procured from Chandni Chowk.”
Had the magnet, 4 mm in width and 1.5 mm in thickness, not been available to the doctors on time, “the boy would have required an open-heart surgery,” said Dr Jain.
Watch: Second malware attack at AIIMS, New Delhi | Cyber attack | India News
The doctor also explained how traditional methods of surgery would have yielded no results in this special case, which led to a brainstorming session among the surgical team.
“This realisation prompted a brainstorming session where we explored a series of intense discussions among the surgical team, aimed at exploring innovative solutions to safely and effectively extract the needle,” he said.
The team made an instrument using one jaw, to help secure the magnet using thread and a rubber band.
“The magnet-tipped instrument was carefully inserted (in windpipe). It seemed almost magical as the needle responded to the magnetic force, smoothly emerging from its concealed location. It was successfully extracted,” Dr Jain added.
It was not identified how the needle ended up getting stuck in the boy’s lungs but Jain said that there have been many such instances where children swallow strange things.
The boy was later discharged from the hospital.
(With inputs from agencies)
No Byline Policy
Editorial Guidelines
Corrections Policy
Source