An 8-month-old boy was playing with a mango when he suddenly coughed, cried, and had difficulty breathing. A doctor found a foreign object deep in his bronchus that could not be removed after two endoscopy attempts. The boy was intubated at a lower-level hospital and then transferred to the City Children’s Hospital for further treatment.
Despite two failed attempts to remove the foreign object, doctors at Children’s Hospital 2 successfully removed it using a specialized bronchoscopy system with a flexible scope. The object turned out to be the stem of the mango. The baby is currently in stable condition and undergoing further monitoring and treatment.
The mother recounted that when the boy started coughing and choking, she patted his back to calm him down but later noticed he was having trouble breathing and turned purple, prompting a visit to the hospital. Dr. Le Thi Thanh Thao from Children’s Hospital 2 emphasized the dangers of foreign objects in a child’s airway, especially in children under 3 who are prone to exploring and putting objects in their mouths.
Parents are advised to educate their children to avoid playing with small objects or eating while crying. If a child shows signs of choking, immediate first aid should be administered, followed by a visit to a medical facility for examination and treatment. Prevention is key in avoiding such accidents, which can be life-threatening to children.