Doctors at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad removed a TV remote bulb lodged deep inside a two-year-old child’s right lung using emergency bronchoscopy.
The Haryana toddler developed persistent cough, noisy breathing, fever, and breathing difficulty for nearly a week before diagnosis.
Doctors warned that foreign body aspiration in children can become life-threatening if choking symptoms and airway blockage are ignored.
The child was admitted to Amrita Hospital in Faridabad on May 11 after worsening respiratory symptoms raised concerns about a possible airway obstruction. Doctors said the two-year-old had been experiencing persistent coughing, noisy breathing, intermittent fever, and breathing difficulty after reportedly inhaling a small bulb-like component from a television remote control.The child was admitted to Amrita Hospital in Faridabad on May 11 after worsening respiratory symptoms raised concerns about a possible airway obstruction. Doctors said the two-year-old had been experiencing persistent coughing, noisy breathing, intermittent fever, and breathing difficulty after reportedly inhaling a small bulb-like component from a television remote control.
During medical evaluation, the parents recalled that the child may have accidentally inhaled the TV remote component several days earlier while playing. Doctors suspected foreign body aspiration, a condition that can quickly become life-threatening.
Further investigations revealed that the remote bulb had travelled deep into the right lower bronchus, a narrow air passage inside the lung. Specialists said the case was particularly risky because the object contained fragile glass and metallic wire elements.
Doctors also found inflammation and granulation tissue around the lodged object due to its prolonged presence inside the airway, increasing the risk of bleeding, airway injury, and complete blockage of breathing passages.
A multidisciplinary team involving specialists from Pediatric Pulmonology, Adult Pulmonology, Pediatric Anesthesia, and ENT services coordinated an emergency bronchoscopy procedure to safely remove the lodged object.
Doctors including Dr. Maninder Dhaliwal, Dr. Sourabh Pahuja, and Dr. Ridhima Bhatia used advanced bronchoscopy techniques to remove the TV remote bulb while minimizing trauma to the child’s airway.
Doctors said the child’s breathing improved immediately after the airway obstruction was cleared. The toddler recovered well and was discharged from the hospital the following day.
Small objects accidentally entering a child’s airway can quickly become life-threatening, especially in toddlers who often put items in their mouths while playing. Objects such as toy parts, batteries, beads, nuts, and TV remote components can block the airway and make breathing difficult.
Common warning signs include sudden coughing, wheezing, noisy breathing, choking episodes, persistent fever, or unexplained breathing problems after a child may have swallowed or inhaled something.
If treatment is delayed, the blockage can lead to lung infections, airway swelling, breathing distress, and long-term damage to the lungs. Doctors say parents should seek immediate medical attention if a child develops breathing difficulties following a choking incident, even if symptoms initially appear mild.
The treating team said recognizing the warning signs early and quick coordination between specialists played a major role in the child’s recovery. Doctors advised parents to seek immediate medical care if a child develops coughing, noisy breathing, or breathing difficulty after a suspected choking incident, even if symptoms appear mild at first.
(Rh/TP)