LED bulb from toy lodged in toddler’s lung, removed by Mumbai doctors
A three-year-old boy from Kolhapur has fully recovered after doctors in Mumbai removed a tiny LED bulb lodged in his lung for months. Initially misdiagnosed and treated with antibiotics, the child's condition worsened until advanced tests revealed the hidden cause.
Mumbai: A three-year-old boy from Kolhapur has made a remarkable recovery after doctors in Mumbai successfully removed a tiny LED bulb that had remained lodged in his lung for several months. The child’s health troubles began in June when he developed a persistent cough that did not respond to repeated courses of antibiotics prescribed by a local practitioner.
His condition deteriorated further, and he eventually developed pneumonia. It was only after a paediatrician insisted on detailed investigations that the true cause was uncovered, which was a foreign object obstructing his airway.
Initial attempts lodged the bulb even deeper in lungs
Doctors in Kolhapur attempted to remove the item through a bronchoscopy, but the procedure inadvertently pushed it deeper into the lung. With the boy’s breathing becoming more difficult, his family rushed him to Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai, where a specialist team took over his care.
Scans revealed that the boy had accidentally inhaled a small LED bulb from a broken toy bus. Instead of travelling down the food pipe, it had slipped into the windpipe and become firmly lodged in the airway leading to the left lower lobe of the lung. The case presented significant risks, with doctors warning that part of the lung might need to be removed if the operation proved complex.
Treatment involved complex surgery involving life-threatening risks
In a delicate surgical procedure, the medical team managed to extract the bulb intact without causing damage to the lung tissue. Surgeons later noted that the wires attached to the object posed a serious danger, as they could have pierced the airways and led to life-threatening complications.
Following the operation, the boy recovered steadily and has since regained normal breathing. His family, who spent nearly Rs 6 lakh on the treatment, expressed immense relief that the ordeal ended without permanent damage.