A 26-year-old man from Karimnagar had unknowingly carried a pen cap in his lungs for 21 years after accidentally swallowing it at the age of five. Over the past month, he had been experiencing persistent cough and unexplained weight loss. His condition worsened significantly over the last ten days, making it difficult for him to sleep. Upon consulting doctors, a CT scan was conducted, revealing an infection in the lower left lung. He was then referred to KIMS Hospital, Kondapur, Hyderabad, where a further CT scan was performed. Consultant Clinical and Interventional Pulmonologist, Dr. Shubhakar Nadella, provided insights into the case.

“When the patient arrived, we conducted a CT scan, which showed a lump-like structure inside his lungs. We initially assumed it was an obstruction causing his persistent cough. However, during the procedure, we discovered that it was actually a pen cap lodged inside. Midway through the procedure, we called in his elder brother and asked if he had ever swallowed anything as a child. That’s when he recalled that, at the age of five, he had accidentally swallowed a pen cap. At that time, he was taken to a doctor, who conducted an examination but found nothing abnormal, assuming that the foreign object had naturally passed out of the body.

The procedure to remove the pen cap took nearly three hours. Using a flexible bronchoscopy, we first carefully removed the tissue buildup, lymph nodes, and muscle formations around the object. Once the surrounding area was cleared, we successfully extracted the pen cap. The prolonged presence of a foreign body had caused lung damage, but we managed to restore the affected area with antibiotic treatment. The patient has now fully recovered,” said Dr. Shubhakar Nadella.

Dr. Nadella emphasized the importance of timely medical intervention in such cases. “Leaving foreign objects inside the body for an extended period is extremely dangerous. If the patient had delayed further, the lung tissue would have been completely damaged, requiring surgical removal of the affected section. Fortunately, we identified the issue in time and treated it with medication. Parents must be vigilant when their children are playing and observe what they put in their mouths. If a child accidentally swallows any object, immediate medical attention is necessary to prevent severe complications,” he cautioned.