Coin Stuck In Throat Of 12-Year-Old Boy Removed After 7 Years

Doctors successfully removed a coin stuck in the throat of a 12-year-old boy after seven years in a rare and complex surgery. He had swallowed the coin when he was just five, his uncle said.

The surgery was performed by ENT surgeon Dr Vivek Singh and his team at the district hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi.

The ordeal began for the boy, Ankul, a resident of Muralipurva village in Baghauli, when he complained of stomach pain in April. He was treated by a private doctor and recovered. On June 4, he complained of throat pain, which prompted his grandfather, Ajay, to seek urgent medical attention at the district hospital.

Upon examination, Dr Vivek Singh discovered a one rupee coin lodged in the boy's throat - he had swallowed it seven years ago.

The boy's X-ray showed the coin was stuck to the side of his food pipe and had started blackening. It was stuck in a way that the boy did not have much problem, although he was diagnosed with jaundice a month and a half ago.

The coin was finally removed using the telescope method of surgery.

Speaking to NDTV about the intricacies of the complex surgery, Dr Vivek Singh said, "It is a rarest of rare cases where a coin remained stuck in the boy's throat for seven years. This not only stunted the boy's growth but also affected his physical development, which is not in line with that of a typical 12-year-old."

"There could have been several complications and there is a high chance of infection. Even after the surgery and successful removal of the coin, the chances of the boy developing complications are high," he said, adding that the family has been told to come for regular checks.