An 11-month-old girl in Surat narrowly escaped a life-threatening accident after swallowing a sharp metal earring while playing at home. Doctors removed the ornament without a single incision, saving her from a potentially fatal situation.

The incident took place on July 16 at the family's residence. The infant, daughter of sanitation worker Likesh Boke, was playing when she suddenly put a sharp metal earring into her mouth and swallowed it.

Within moments, the child began crying uncontrollably and developed difficulty breathing and swallowing saliva. Alarmed by her condition, her parents rushed her to the ENT department of the New Civil Hospital in Surat.

Doctors immediately ordered an X-ray, which revealed that the earring had become lodged in the child's oesophagus (food pipe). Given the sharp edges of the object and the baby's young age, the situation demanded urgent intervention.

The toddler was taken to the operation theatre the same afternoon, where a team led by ENT specialists, under the guidance of department head Dr Jaimin Contractor, performed a highly delicate procedure.

Using an oesophagoscope and specialised forceps, the doctors carefully removed the earring through endoscopy, avoiding the need for any external incision.

The procedure lasted around 30 to 45 minutes and was completed without causing injury to the child's oesophagus.

Assistant Professor of ENT Dr Navneet Makwana said the sharp object could have punctured the food pipe, significantly worsening the child's condition.

"We immediately conducted an X-ray, which showed the sharp object lodged in the oesophagus. We took the child up on an emergency basis and removed it through oesophagoscopy without making any external incision. We had to be extremely careful because the oesophagus of an 11-month-old baby is very soft, and there was a real risk of perforation," he said.

Dr Makwana added that the baby recovered well after surgery and is now healthy without any post-operative complications.

He also urged parents to be extra cautious with infants, who often explore objects by putting them in their mouths.

"Earrings, rubber items, coins and other small objects should always be kept away from young children. If a child accidentally swallows such an object, they should be taken to the nearest hospital immediately without delay," he advised.

Doctors said the same procedure could have cost between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000 at a private hospital. However, the surgery was performed free of cost at Surat Civil Hospital, bringing immense relief to the financially struggling family.

(With inputs from Sanjay Singh Rathod)

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Published By:

Srimoyee Chowdhury

Published On:

Jul 22, 2026 12:20 IST