KOLKATA: The family of
Arghya Biswas, a four-year-old boy, who swallowed a
coin on Saturday afternoon at their Gangapur home in Nadia had a harrowing time trying to find a medical facility that would retrieve it. The coin was finally brought out through an endoscopic procedure at SSKM Hospital.
His grandfather Dinesh said that Arghya was playing alone when he had spotted a Re1coin and swallowed it. “But it left him gasping for air as it got lodged in his throat. He was in severe pain.”
“We reached
Kalyani’s College of Medicine and JNM Hospital around 2pm. There, the doctors examining Arghya advised for endoscopic removal of the coin. But they failed to undertake the procedure as they had no instrument and advised us to go to NRS Hospital or Medical College and Hospital. We
reached NRS Hospital around 10pm. There, too, the doctors could not help us. They spotted the coin in the oesophagus in an Xray, but they had no method to extract it,” said Biswas, who takes care of Arghya as the child’s mother passed away earlier.
Their next stop was Medical College and Hospital, but there, too, the doctors failed to provide relief. His condition deteriorated as the coin had moved further inside. They then went to Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratisthan well past midnight, but even there they were met with disappointment.
“We reached SSKM Hospital around 2am. The doctors there instantly decided to conduct the endoscopic procedure to bring out the coin. We are thankful to the SSKM doctors. Now Arghya is a bit better, though he is yet to talk properly, as he is in a trauma.” Dinesh, a mason, said that he was shocked that all these big hospitals failed to provide emergency aid. Dr Arunabha Sengupta, head of ENT department of SSKM said Arghya is now recovering well and will be released soon.
(Picture used for representational purpose)