Pune: A 70-year-old man from Indapur narrowly escaped a life-threatening condition after accidentally swallowing a bone while eating at a wedding. The bone got lodged in his esophagus, causing a perforation, making it impossible for him to drink water or breathe properly.
After multiple failed attempts at local hospitals, the patient was brought to Sassoon General Hospital in Pune, where a team of expert surgeons successfully removed the bone using endoscopy. To ensure complete recovery, a stent was placed in his esophagus to heal the perforation.
A High-Risk and Rare Medical Case
The incident occurred on February 24 when the elderly man unknowingly swallowed a bone while eating. He soon experienced severe pain and difficulty in swallowing. His family took him to various local hospitals, but after two days without relief, they brought him to Sassoon General Hospital.
A CT scan revealed that the bone measured 5.3 cm x 3 cm and was stuck horizontally in the esophagus. Due to the patient's advanced age and the high-risk nature of open surgery, doctors decided to perform an endoscopic procedure instead.
The surgery, conducted on February 27, was led by Dr. Padmasen Ranbagale (Associate Professor, Surgery), along with Dr. Rahul Thakur (ENT), Dr. Surekha Shinde (Anesthesiologist), Dr. Neha Kamble, and Dr. Sujit Kshirsagar.
Potentially Fatal Complications Averted
This case was considered highly critical due to the location of the bone near major blood vessels and the heart. If left untreated, the perforation could have led to internal bleeding, infection, and other fatal complications.
To prevent further damage, doctors inserted a self-expanding flexible stent in the esophagus, ensuring that food and liquids do not leak into other organs. The stent will remain in place for six months, allowing the esophagus to heal naturally.
"Due to the perforation, there was a risk of food and water leaking into other vital organs, leading to severe infection. To avoid this, we placed a self-expanding stent, which will remain for six months until the wound is completely healed."
– Dr. Padmasen Ranbagale, Surgeon
"This was a highly complicated and rare case due to the patient’s age and the bone's location. However, our team successfully removed the bone, and the patient was able to drink water the very next day."
– Dr. Eknath Pawar, Dean, Sassoon General Hospital
The patient is now stable and recovering well under medical supervision.