Almost 48 hours after a two-inch mutton bone got stuck in his food pipe, a 30-year-old software engineer from the city got respite when doctors at CARE Hospitals snapped and removed it using Holmium-YAG laser, which is usually used to break kidney stones.
On May 12, he arrived at the hospital emergency department with complaints of pain in the throat and difficulty in breathing, which started after he had mutton at a party.
Horizontally stuck
Upon X-ray examination, doctors found a piece of bone horizontally stuck in the upper portion of his food pipe. Doctors at a few hospitals that he visited suggested neck surgery. However, those at CARE Hospitals opted for another method.
Initially, head of ENT department N. Vishnu Swaroop Reddy along with ENT and gastroenterology teams could not remove it as the rugged bone was stuck horizontally impinging on the wall of food pipe.
Challenges involved
Since forcible removal could have torn the food pipe wall leading to life threatening complications, the doctors decided to use Holmium-YAG Laser to break it into two pieces. After partially breaking it, a bridge of bone was left and there was threat of the food pipe wall getting burnt due to laser.
The remaining bridge of bone was again broken into two pieces using ENT endoscope and instruments, and finally removed on May 13 without any external cuts in the neck or the chest.
Consultant urologist P. Vamshi Krishna said the patient showed quick recovery during post-operative period and has started taking food orally.
