2-month-old baby has difficulty breathing when swallowing a foreign object

Doctor Truong Ngoc Nha – Head of Endoscopy Center of Xuyen A General Hospital, said that recently, the hospital received two emergency endoscopic cases. pick up foreign body gastrointestinal tract in children.

The first case came to the emergency room due to swallowing a foreign body with a gold ring in a 2-month-old baby. The patient’s family said that before the time of admission, the baby was lying down playing with his hand in his mouth, right after that he had difficulty breathing, coughing, coughing, blushing … the family suspected that he had swallowed the ring he wore. should be taken to the emergency room at Xuyen A General Hospital.

X-ray image shows a metal foreign body in the thoracic esophagus of a 2-month-old child who swallowed the ring. Photo: BVCC

After examination and X-ray results, the doctors determined that there was a ring-like metal object located in the oesophagus of the thoracic oesophagus of the patient. The patient was immediately transferred to the Endoscopy Center for emergency endoscopic removal of the ring. During and after endoscopic examination, there was no bleeding, the patient’s health is stable, and she is nursing well.

Only a few hours later, the Endoscopy Center of this hospital continued to receive emergency foreign body removal for a 4-year-old child, this time the object was a coin. The family said that about 30 minutes from the hospital admission, the child was playing and swallowed the coin, and was immediately taken to the emergency room at Xuyen A General Hospital.

Through the X-ray results, there was a coin-shaped foreign body in the left gastrointestinal tract at the level of the posterior arch of the D12 rib. Immediately, the child was taken to the Endoscopy Center to remove the coin foreign body from the stomach. After endoscopic removal of foreign bodies, no bleeding occurred, the patient’s health was stable and was discharged within the same day.

Coin-shaped contrast medium in the left gastrointestinal tract at the level of the posterior arch of the D12 rib of a 4-year-old child who swallowed a coin. Photo: BVCC

According to Dr. Nha, because young children are hyperactive and curious, parents should pay special attention not to let children play with small, sharp toys, objects that are easy to put in their mouths such as batteries, coins, etc. marbles, objects with toxic chemicals… In case of swallowing a foreign body, if it is not detected and removed soon, the foreign object may become blocked in the esophagus or airway, causing serious consequences, even even life-threatening if not treated promptly.

“In addition, foreign objects can move through the digestive tract to the intestines, causing damage such as tearing and perforating the intestinal mucosa, causing intestinal obstruction, which greatly affects the health of the child. At that time, the intervention is removed by endoscopic method. extremely difficult, even the patient has to undergo a more complicated surgery” – Dr. Nha emphasized.