LUSAKA – Doctors at Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital (LMUTH) have successfully removed four coins from a 10-month-old baby boy during an emergency endoscopic procedure after initial examinations suggested he had swallowed only one coin.
According to the hospital, the infant was rushed to LMUTH after caregivers suspected he had swallowed a K2 coin. An X-ray appeared to show a single coin lodged in the child's body, and the hospital's Endoscopy Unit prepared for what was expected to be a routine retrieval procedure.
However, during the operation, doctors discovered that the object seen on the X-ray was actually four coins tightly stuck together.
The medical team successfully removed two K1 coins, one K5 coin and one 50 ngwee coin, with a combined value of K7.50.
Hospital officials said the delicate endoscopic procedure lasted nearly 20 minutes and was completed successfully, preventing what could have become a life-threatening medical emergency.
The hospital commended the Endoscopy Unit for the successful intervention, recognising the efforts of Dr. Nsokolo, Sister Brenda, Sister Moonga, Sister Esther and Sister Royce, who carried out the procedure.
Following the incident, Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital urged parents and caregivers to keep coins, button batteries and other small objects away from babies and toddlers, warning that young children naturally explore their surroundings by placing objects in their mouths.
The hospital also stressed the importance of seeking immediate medical attention whenever a child is suspected of swallowing a foreign object, saying early intervention can prevent serious complications and save lives.
Source: Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital / HOT FM Zambia