UDAIPUR: Doctors at Pacific Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Bedla, have successfully removed a peanut lodged in the windpipe of a 2-year-old girl, providing relief to the child after she developed persistent coughing and severe breathing difficulties.
According to the family, the girl was eating peanuts when a kernel accidentally entered her airway. She began coughing continuously and struggled to breathe. Her family initially took her to a local doctor, but when her condition did not improve, they rushed her to Pacific Hospital, Bedla.
At PMCH, the child was admitted under the guidance of paediatric and neonatal surgeon Dr. Praveen Jhanwar. Given the seriousness of the case, ENT specialist Dr. Shiv Kaushik was called in immediately. A CT scan revealed a foreign object lodged in the main airway leading to the lungs.
Considering the child’s young age and the risks associated with conventional surgery, the medical team opted for bronchoscopy. Under anaesthesia, doctors inserted an endoscopic instrument through the mouth and successfully removed the peanut from the airway without an external surgical incision.
Multidisciplinary team ensures successful treatment
The procedure involved ENT department doctors Dr. Richa Gupta, Dr. S.S. Kaushik, Dr. Shweta, Dr. Raj Kumar and Dr. Praveen Jhanwar. Dr. Vijay Chahar and his anaesthesia team, along with nursing staff member Dinesh Kumawat and operating theatre personnel, also contributed to the procedure.
Dr. Puneet Jain, Dr. Sunny and their team played an important role in the child’s care in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Dr. Kaushik explained that removing a foreign object from the airway of a very young child can be particularly challenging. In this case, the team used bronchoscopy to retrieve the peanut through the mouth, avoiding the need for conventional surgery.
Doctors warn against giving nuts to young children
Dr. Kaushik advised parents to avoid giving peanuts, chickpeas, almonds and other nuts or dry fruits to children younger than five because these foods can become lodged in the airway and cause breathing difficulties.
He urged parents to seek immediate medical attention if a child develops breathing obstruction, bluish lips or inward pulling of the chest after choking. Such symptoms may indicate a serious airway emergency.
PMCH Executive Director Aman Agarwal said the hospital’s ENT department had removed foreign objects, including seeds, LED bulbs and maize kernels, from the airways of more than 100 children over the past two years. He attributed these procedures to the department’s specialist team and advanced equipment.
The child’s family expressed gratitude to PMCH Chairman Rahul Agarwal, the treating doctors, hospital management, nursing personnel and other staff involved in her care.