In a rare medical case, doctors at Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre, Mumbai, successfully removed a small metal LED bulb from the lung of a 3.5-year-old boy. The child had been suffering from a chronic cough and breathing problems for nearly three months, which was initially misdiagnosed as pneumonia. Despite several rounds of antibiotics, his condition did not improve.
A CT scan later revealed a metallic object stuck deep in the left bronchus. Earlier attempts to remove it through flexible bronchoscopy in Kolhapur had failed. The boy was then referred to Jaslok Hospital, where doctors discovered that the foreign object had become embedded in the lung and caused the airway to narrow.
A team led by Dr. Vimesh Rajput and Dr. Divya Prabhat performed a mini thoracotomy (a 4 cm surgical cut) to remove the object, which turned out to be an LED bulb from a toy car. With the support of anesthesiologist Dr. Anurag Jain, the surgery was successful and the child's breathing returned to normal.
Dr. Rajput, Thoracic Surgeon at Jaslok Hospital, said, “This was one of the rarest cases we’ve encountered. The LED bulb had become embedded in the lung tissue, and conventional methods failed to retrieve it. Through a carefully planned mini thoracotomy, we were able to safely remove the foreign body and restore the child’s breathing.”
Dr. Prabhat, ENT Surgeon, added that persistent cough in children should never be ignored, as such cases often resemble common conditions like pneumonia, delaying the right diagnosis.
Highlighting the risks, Dr. Milind Khadke, Chief Medical Officer, said, "Foreign body aspiration in children is more common than most parents realise. Timely medical attention and specialist intervention are crucial in preventing long-term damage to the lungs. This case is a reminder for parents and healthcare providers to be alert when children present with chronic, unexplained respiratory problems. Also, a request to all parents to be extra careful about the condition and type of toys your children are playing with.”
The child's father, Avinash Kadam, expressed his gratitude: "For three months, we lived in fear, not knowing what was wrong. Thanks to the doctors at Jaslok Hospital, our son is now breathing freely and smiling again. They have given him a new life."
