A 2-year-old child was brought to the Emergency Department at Amrita Hospital at around 6 PM on 11th May 2026 with persistent cough, breathing difficulty, and intermittent fever. The parents shared that nearly a week earlier, the child may have accidentally swallowed an unknown object.
Over the next few days, the child continued to experience respiratory discomfort. Further imaging and evaluation at another hospital revealed the actual cause, a foreign body lodged in the right main bronchus.
The foreign body was later identified as a broken LED bulb that had been aspirated into the airway.
Recognizing the seriousness of the condition, the team at Amrita Hospital immediately planned an emergency bronchoscopy. The highly delicate procedure was successfully performed in the Operating Theatre through the coordinated efforts of a multidisciplinary team comprising:
- Paediatric Pulmonology Team
- Adult Pulmonology Team
- Paediatric Anesthesia Team
with critical support from
Dr. Maninder Dhaliwal, Dr. Sourabh Pahuja, Dr. Ridhima Bhatia
The foreign body was carefully removed, successfully relieving the airway obstruction. Remarkably, the child showed excellent recovery and was discharged the very next day, completely relieved of symptoms.
This case stands as a powerful example of how early recognition, rapid intervention, advanced bronchoscopy expertise, and seamless multidisciplinary teamwork can make a life-saving difference in critical airway emergencies.
A Reminder for Parents & Caregivers from Doctor’s
If a child develops sudden cough, breathing difficulty, or persistent respiratory symptoms following a suspected aspiration event, expert medical attention should never be delayed.
