Six-month-old baby receives surgery months after swallowing package of staples

The baby’s parents sought medical treatment several times, after the baby suffered for about a month and a half from persistent coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

A six-month-old baby was admitted earlier this week to the public Assuta Ashdod Medical Center, and received surgery after having swallowed a packet of staples, Walla learnt Wednesday.

The parents sought medical treatment for the baby several times, after about a month and a half of persistent coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. During this time, the baby was treated with inhalations and medication, but his condition did not significantly improve. Later, the baby also developed vomiting.

Upon arrival at the hospital’s emergency department, an X-ray was performed, revealing an unusual foreign object in the baby’s esophagus: a packet of staples. Some of the staples remained connected to one another, while others had separated and become lodged in the wall of the esophagus.

Due to the location of the staples and the baby’s respiratory condition, doctors decided to urgently transfer him to the operating room. The procedure involved teams from pediatric gastroenterology, ear, nose, and throat, and pulmonology, along with the anesthesia team, partly due to concern that some of the staples had also reached the airways.

During a complex procedure that lasted about an hour and a half, the staples were removed one by one, including those that had already pierced the esophageal wall.

The prolonged presence of the staples inside the baby’s body caused local damage, swelling, inflammation, and infection in the area. After they were removed, he was treated with antibiotics, medication to reduce acidity, steroids, and inhalations. Initially, he was fed through a tube to allow the esophagus to recover and heal.

Babies swallowing foreign objects can lead to persistent symptoms

“The baby arrived at our hospital after a long period of coughing, shortness of breath, and wheezing that did not go away despite the treatments he received," Dr. Chani Oliveston, director of the Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit at Assuta Ashdod Hospital, said.

"In the case of a baby, who cannot explain what happened or whether he swallowed something, it is important to remember that a foreign object can also cause persistent symptoms. In this case, the staples had already caused inflammation, infection, and swelling in the esophagus, and the baby’s respiratory condition was not good. Fortunately, we were able to remove all the staples. The message to parents is simple: when symptoms continue and do not improve as expected, it is important to continue investigating the cause.”