In a rare and unusual medical case, a 52-year-old man in Andhra Pradesh accidentally swallowed his dentures while asleep. The dental set ended up lodged in his right lung but was successfully removed by doctors at a private hospital in Visakhapatnam.
The man had been using fixed dentures for several years. Over time, the set loosened, and during his sleep, he inadvertently swallowed it. The dentures traveled through his airway and became stuck in the middle section of his right lung.
Despite the odd occurrence, the man did not experience severe breathing problems as his left lung and parts of his right lung continued to function. However, persistent coughing prompted him to seek medical help.
Doctors at KIMS ICON Hospital used X-rays and CT scans to confirm that the dental set was lodged in the patient’s lung.
Dr. CH Bharat, a consultant interventional pulmonologist, explained that a rigid bronchoscopy procedure under general anesthesia was performed to remove the foreign object.
Dr. Bharat noted that the procedure carried significant risks, especially due to the metal components on the dentures, which could have caused injuries to the lungs or airways and potentially led to bleeding. However, the team managed to successfully extract the dentures with minimal complications.
The patient sustained only minor injuries to his oral cavity during the procedure, which were promptly treated. Dr. Bharat confirmed that the patient is now recovering well and expressed relief that the high-risk procedure was completed without major complications.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Dr. Sreelekshmi P/MSM)