Doctors Remove Staple Pins From Infant’s Esophagus After Weeks of Breathing Trouble

A six-month-old infant suffered from persistent cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath for about six weeks before doctors discovered the cause was a package of staple pins lodged in his esophagus. The infant was admitted to Assuta Ashdod Hospital earlier this week after symptoms worsened, including vomiting. Initial treatments with inhalations and medications had failed to improve his condition.

X-rays revealed the unusual foreign object, with some pins still connected and others embedded in the esophageal wall. Due to the pins’ location and the infant’s respiratory distress, a multidisciplinary surgical team including pediatric gastroenterologists, ENT specialists, pulmonologists, and anesthesiologists performed a complex 90-minute operation to carefully remove all the pins.

The prolonged presence of the pins caused local tissue damage, swelling, inflammation, and infection. Post-surgery, the infant received antibiotics, acid-reducing drugs, steroids, and inhalation therapy. He was initially fed through a feeding tube to allow the esophagus to heal. Dr. Hani Oliveston, head of pediatric gastroenterology at Assuta Ashdod, emphasized the difficulty in diagnosing foreign body ingestion in infants who cannot communicate and urged parents to seek further investigation if symptoms persist.

This case highlights the importance of thorough medical evaluation for ongoing respiratory symptoms in infants, as foreign objects can cause severe complications if undetected.