Rajkot
Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rajkot, have removed a sharp metal pin lodged in the small intestine of a 12-year-old girl through endoscopy, avoiding the need for major surgery. The girl, who had been experiencing persistent abdominal pain after accidentally swallowing the object, was discharged the day after the procedure.
A resident of Junagadh district, the girl had swallowed the pin accidentally a few days before being brought to AIIMS Rajkot. Her family initially took her to Junagadh Civil Hospital and a private hospital, where an X-ray revealed a metallic object in the upper abdomen. They subsequently approached AIIMS Rajkot for further treatment. The girl was examined at the General Surgery outpatient department, where doctors conducted further investigations in view of her continuing abdominal pain.
An X-ray showed that the sharp metal pin was lodged in the duodenum, with the first part of the small intestine beyond the stomach, at the junction of its second and third portions. Doctors decided to remove the object through endoscopy to prevent prolonged retention from causing injury or other complications. The procedure was performed by a senior team of doctors, and the anaesthesia team supported the procedure and administered anaesthesia. During endoscopy, the medical team located and safely removed the sharp metal pin from the duodenum.
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The procedure was completed without an abdominal incision or major surgery, and the girl’s condition remained stable. Following the procedure, doctors monitored her condition and reported no complications. She was started on a liquid diet six hours later, after which her diet was gradually returned to normal. As her recovery progressed satisfactorily, she was discharged the following day. The doctors also advised parents to remain alert to the possibility of children accidentally swallowing small objects, including pins, coins and toy parts, while playing.
They cautioned against treating such incidents as harmless, even when a child does not immediately show symptoms. Parents should not attempt to induce vomiting or remove a swallowed object themselves, but should seek medical attention promptly so that doctors can determine its location and provide appropriate treatment. AIIMS Rajkot has endoscopy facilities to manage such cases, with treatment determined by the patient’s condition and the assessment of specialist doctors.
