On February 2nd, Hoan My Cuu Long Hospital said that the unit had received and successfully treated a case of a 73-year-old patient with a foreign object stuck in the airway, suspected to be a fish bone about 2x7 mm in size, causing prolonged shortness of breath for many days.
According to the hospital, Mr. N.V.H (73 years old, An Giang province) was admitted to the hospital in a state of wheezing and increasing shortness of breath after eating fish and choking.
The patient's family informed that the old man has a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), has been hospitalized many times for pneumonia and is currently undergoing tracheostomy and care at home.
When admitted to the hospital, the patient was conscious, breathing through a tracheal tube, experiencing severe shortness of breath, rapid breathing, having to sit to breathe, accompanied by clear wheezing. Examination of the lungs recorded snoring, wheezing spreading to both lung chambers.
Blood tests and lung X-rays showed signs of inflammation, however, X-ray images did not clearly record a foreign object in the airway. The patient was initially diagnosed with a moderate acute phase of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on the background of tracheostomy and was treated according to a protocol.
After 3 days of treatment, the patient's shortness of breath improved but still increased phlegm and mucus secretion, accompanied by a burning sensation in the neck area and around the tracheostomy leg.
Before the clinical progression was not completely consistent with the initial diagnosis, the team of general practitioners of the Department proactively consulted with the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor and agreed to indicate soft-tube bronchoscopy to examine the airway.
The endoscopic procedure was performed in about 30 minutes, thereby detecting a foreign object located right above the base of the tracheostomy tube. The foreign object was successfully removed, suspected to be a fish bone, about 2x7 mm in size.
After removing the foreign object, the patient's shortness of breath and wheezing improved significantly, phlegm levels decreased, the patient breathed easier and lived stably, and was discharged from the hospital after 2 days of inpatient treatment.
MSc.BSNT Le Trong Nhan - General Department, Hoan My Cuu Long Hospital informed that soft-tube bronchoscopy is a method commonly indicated in airway exploration, specimen collection and foreign object treatment with a low rate of complications.
This method has been routinely implemented at the hospital in treating cases of airway foreign objects. Every year, the hospital receives and effectively treats many cases of airway foreign objects with the support of this method," said MSc.BSNT Le Trong Nhan.
Doctors also recommend that people - especially the elderly, people with chronic lung disease or those who are carrying tracheostomy tubes - should eat slowly, chew thoroughly, avoid talking when eating and limit foods that easily cause choking such as fish with many bones, in order to prevent dangerous respiratory complications that can be life-threatening.
