GHC Hospital Doctor Removes Dental File from 3-Year-Old Boy's Right Lung

Thane: In a troubling incident, a team led by Dr. Jaspreet Singh Khandpur, an Interventional Pulmonologist at GHC Hospital in Mumbai, removed a dental file that had accidentally lodged in the right lung of a 3-year-old boy.

Ayaan Gupta (name changed)* from Mumbra was admitted to GHC Hospital after a dental file became lodged in his right lung during a root canal procedure meant to treat swelling and infection. Thanks to the prompt intervention by Dr. Khandpur and his team, the patient was spared from further complications.

Dr Jaspreet Singh Khandpur, an Interventional Pulmonologist, GHC Hospital said, “Upon arrival in an emergency, the child’s condition was stable and showed no signs of distress. An x-ray revealed a thin needle lodged in the right lung. After sedating the child, the flexible bronchoscope was inserted from the nose to the mouth to the right side of the lung. The sharp dental file was lodged in the right middle lobe towards the trachea side and the blunt end toward the broncos or lobe. The scope was utilized with the help of a basket but since the dental file was thin and small, it was difficult to remove it. A small bronchoscope and forceps were used to hold the tip of the dental file to remove it from the trachea. While trying to pull out the dental file, we had to be cautious as the sharp part shouldn’t pierce the trachea. However, the file was dropping back to the trachea as the vocal cords were very small. As the dental file came out of the vocal cord, the Magill forceps were inserted to remove the object carefully without any discomfort. After a meticulous hour-long procedure, the dental file was successfully removed using a bronchoscope. The patient recovered well and was discharged the next day.”

Dr Jaspreet added, “Delay in performing the procedure could have led to fatal complications in this child. The needle or the dental file could have pierced the trachea and even the bronchos and led to infections such as pneumonia, lung collapse, tracheal perforation, bronchus perforation, lung perforation, and de-saturation. The object was successfully removed without the need for intubation or invasive ventilation assistance. Instead, it was done using sedation and oxygen support with the help of a flexible bronchoscope. This method is uncommon, as rigid bronchoscopes are typically used for such procedures while the patient is intubated. There has been an increase in cases of children aged 2-8 accidentally inhaling foreign objects, so parents should be cautious when scheduling dental procedures and consider having them done at tertiary care centers. Parents should avoid giving children small items like toys, needles, coins, pins, bottle caps, cashews, green peas, and peanuts that could be aspirated and cause blockages in their lungs or stomach.

The worried parents of the child expressed their gratitude to Dr Jaspreet and the entire team of doctors for saving his life. “We thank the doctor for timely action. Fortunately, he was saved from any permanent damage to the lungs and has resumed his daily routine without any difficulty. He is cheerful and playful like before," said Nishant Gupta (name changed)* father of the boy.