Hyderabad: Doctors at city hospital successfully removed a pen cap from the lungs of a 26-year-old man, who had accidentally swallowed it 21 years ago.
The Karimnagar resident sought medical help after experiencing a persistent cough and unexplained weight loss.
Dr Shubhakar Nadella, consultant clinical and interventional pulmonologist at KIMS Hospital, said the patient’s condition had worsened over the past 10 days, making it difficult for him to sleep.
“A CT scan revealed an infection in his lower left lung. We initially suspected an obstruction but were shocked to find a pen cap lodged inside,” Dr Nadella said.
Midway through the three-hour procedure, doctors called in the patient’s elder brother, who recalled that at the age of five, the patient had accidentally swallowed a pen cap. At the time, doctors believed the object had passed naturally.
The medical team successfully removed the cap and treated the resulting lung damage with antibiotics. The patient has since made a full recovery.
Dr Nadella stressed the importance of timely medical intervention. “Leaving foreign objects inside the body for years is extremely dangerous. Had he delayed further, the lung tissue could have been completely damaged, requiring surgical removal of the affected section.”
