KIMSHEALTH Doctors Performs Complex Endoscopic Procedure to Remove Fish Bone from Esophagus
Thiruvananthapuram: A team of specialists at KIMSHEALTH successfully removed a fish bone lodged in the esophagus of a 55-year-old woman through a complex endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) procedure.
The patient, who has multiple health conditions, including kidney disease, presented to the Department of Emergency Medicine with throat discomfort.
A CT scan of the neck revealed a 2.5 x 1.5 cm foreign body in the upper esophagus. Initial rigid esophagoscopy detected an ulcer with pus drainage on the anterior lateral wall. After suctioning out the pus, no additional abnormalities were noted at that stage.
However, an endoscopy conducted by Dr. Madhu Sasidharan, Senior Consultant, Department of Gastroenterology, identified oedema, an infected wound, and a foreign body lodged inside the esophagus.
To investigate further, the patient underwent an endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)—a minimally invasive procedure primarily used for tumour removal in the gastrointestinal tract.
During the dissection, the fish bone was detected and immediately extracted. Though ESD is gaining traction in India, its application for foreign body removal remains rare. The procedure requires specialized expertise and the use of a hybrid knife.
Following the successful procedure, the patient was transferred to the ICU for observation. A follow-up CT scan conducted two days later confirmed no complications, allowing the patient to resume normal oral intake.
"The removal of the fish bone through submucosal dissection enabled the patient to avoid major surgery and a prolonged hospital stay," said Dr. Madhu Sasidharan.
The treatment team also included Dr. Shabeerali T.U, Senior Consultant, Department of Hepatobiliary and Liver Transplant Surgery; Dr. Ajith K Nair, Dr. Harish Kareem, Senior Consultants; Dr. Simna L, Consultant; Dr. Arun P and Dr. Devika Madhu, Associate Consultants, Department of Gastroenterology; Dr. Praveen Muralidharan, Senior Consultant, Department of Nephrology; Dr. Salil Kumar K, Senior Consultant, Department of ENT; Dr. Arun N.S. and Dr. Sooraj M.S, Department of Anesthesia.
This case underscores the importance of advanced endoscopic techniques in minimizing surgical interventions and improving patient outcomes.
Rishika Verma is a graduate from Delhi University. She joined Medical Dialogues in 2023. Her interest lies in reporting health news, hospital updates, health updates, medical case studies, and advancements in healthcare, etc.