An 8-month-old boy was playing with a mango when he suddenly coughed, cried, and had difficulty breathing. A doctor discovered a foreign object deep in his bronchus that could not be removed with two endoscopy attempts. The patient was intubated at a lower-level hospital and transferred to City Children’s Hospital for further treatment.
The mother explained that when her son started choking, she patted his back to calm him down, but when he struggled to breathe the next morning, they rushed him to the hospital. Dr. Le Thi Thanh Thao from Children’s Hospital 2 emphasized the importance of preventing foreign objects from entering children’s airways, especially in younger children who tend to explore and put things in their mouths.
Foreign objects in the airway can be life-threatening by blocking oxygen flow. Parents should educate their children to avoid putting small objects in their mouths and to provide immediate first aid if choking occurs. It is crucial to seek medical help promptly in such situations to prevent serious complications. After two failed endoscopy attempts at City Children’s Hospital, doctors requested support from Children’s Hospital 2. The pediatric endoscopy team at Children’s Hospital 2 used specialized equipment to successfully remove a mango stem that was lodged in the boy’s airway. The baby’s condition is now stable and he is receiving ongoing treatment.
