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Man carries a bottle cap in throat for 14 years!

DUBAI — A UAE national received the shock of his life when his doctor told him that he had coughed up blood because a plastic bottle-cap was lodged in his throat for the past 14 years.

The national, who did not wish to be named, told your favourite No. 1 newspaper Khaleej Times that he had forgotten that he had swallowed a cap until he coughed up blood three days ago and was rushed to Welcare Hospital.

"For years, I have had persistent symptoms of cough, and throat irritation, but I never thought in my life that it was because of a cap that I playfully chewed and accidentally swallowed a long time ago," he explained.

He also said that for years, he had breathing problems, especially during the night time. "Surprisingly, I never felt the presence of a bottle-cap except while walking sometimes when I used to feel something was moving in my throat. But I never gave it much importance," he added.

He said that the doctors he consulted gave him a symptomatic treatment but never probed further. Surprisingly, the object had never dissolved, changed shape or colour all these years. We can clearly read the words, Rown Tree, on the black cap.

Dr Suresh Puri, Specialist Physician and Pulmonologist, Head of the Department of Medicine, Chief Division of Pulmonary Medicine at Welcare Hospital who treated the national, said, "This is a rare case which is very common in children but never in adults."

He also explained, while showing a film of the fibre optic bronchoscopy procedure, that the man had come to Welcare Hospital after coughing up blood and having breathing difficulties. "Examinations showed normal results until ENT tests suggested some foreign body lodged in the trachea 5-6 cms beyond the vocal cords. It was a big blackish mass lodged in the trachea. We also found out that the trachea appeared absolutely normal beyond the mass. We administered local anesthesia to the patient and performed a fibre optic bronchoscopy. After several attempts, we were finally successful in pulling out the foreign body intact and in one piece," said Dr Puri.

The patient will be discharged from the hospital today.