Israeli Hospital Removes Staple Pins From Infant’s Esophagus After Prolonged Breathing Issues

A six-month-old infant was admitted to Assuta Ashdod Public Hospital earlier this week after suffering from persistent coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath for about six weeks. Despite multiple medical visits and treatments including inhalations and medications, the baby's condition did not improve, and vomiting later developed.

Upon arrival at the emergency department, an X-ray revealed an unusual foreign object lodged in the infant’s esophagus: a cluster of staple pins. Some pins were still connected, while others had detached and embedded themselves into the esophageal wall. Due to the pins’ location and the infant’s respiratory distress, the medical team urgently transferred the baby to the operating room.

A multidisciplinary team comprising pediatric gastroenterology, ENT, pulmonology, and anesthesia specialists conducted a complex, hour-and-a-half-long procedure to carefully extract all the pins, including those embedded in the esophageal tissue. The prolonged presence of the pins had caused local injury, swelling, inflammation, and infection.

Post-surgery, the infant received antibiotics, acid-reducing medications, steroids, and inhalation therapy. Initially, feeding was done via a tube to allow the esophagus to heal. Dr. Hani Oliveston, head of pediatric gastroenterology at Assuta Ashdod, emphasized the importance of investigating persistent symptoms in infants who cannot communicate, noting that foreign bodies can cause ongoing respiratory issues. She expressed relief that all pins were successfully removed and urged parents to seek thorough medical evaluation when symptoms persist without improvement.