Emirati infant almost swallows plastic ball, saved

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Emirati infant almost swallows plastic ball, saved

Ras Al Khaimah - It was the timely intervention of the medical team at the hospital that saved the child's life.

By Web Report

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Published: Tue 20 Mar 2018, 1:00 PM

Last updated: Tue 20 Mar 2018, 3:06 PM

It took a 20-minute exhausting operation to save a nine-month old Emirati baby who nearly got choked to death after he almost swallowed a walnut-sized plastic ball in Ras Al Khaimah.
The infant was playing with the ball in his house when he put it inside his mouth and suddenly started gasping for breath. The family members rushed him to the hospital.
It was the timely intervention of an ENT medical team at Saqr Hospital in RAK that saved the child's life. An endoscopic surgery was performed that helped pull out the perforated plastic ball lodged in the child's oesophagus, reported Al Khaleej.
Dr Abdullah Al Naomi, director of the Das Al Khaimah Medical Zone, said that the child was first admitted to Sha'am Hospital, 40km north of RAK city. He was then transferred to the child emergency unit at Saqr Hospital's operation room, at 9pm.
There, he was administered general anaesthesia and a careful endoscopic operation was carried out on him which lasted about 20 minutes. 
Mohamed Rashid Bin Arsheed, director of Saqr Hospital, said the child was able to survive that long because of small holes in the ball allowing some air to pass through. The medical team performed a second endoscopy to make sure there was no plastic residue from the ball left in the child's bronchial tube, the report said.
He is now in good condition and being monitored while resting in a wellness ward at the hospital.  
The medical team was headed by Dr Mohamed Shawakh, ENT specialist and assisted by Dr Ashraf Elhaj Ali as well as Dr Asal, anaesthesiologist.


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