Fresh lease of life: SSKM doctors remove piece of cloth stuck in toddler's windpipe

SSKM Hospital has given a fresh lease of life to a one-and-a-half-year-old boy by removing a piece of cloth that got stuck inside his windpipe.

The boy, Alfaz Khan, a resident of Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas, was first taken to Chittaranjan Seva Sadan after he complained of respiratory distress.

Initially, the family members of the baby took him to a local doctor, who then advised them to visit a city hospital. 

The victim was taken to Chittaranjan Seva Sadan a few days ago. The family members have alleged that the doctors at the hospital could not ascertain what exactly had happened to the patient.

The doctors, who examined the patient, told his family that the baby had  cough in his chest which is why he was complaining of respiratory problems. They prescribed some medicine for the boy and released him. But the patient's condition deteriorated after he was taken home, claimed the child's family members.

After some relatives suggested Alfaz's family members to take him to the SSKM Hospital, his father  took him to the outpatient department of the ENT at the Hospital. The doctors conducted an X-ray on the patient which revealed that a piece of cloth got stuck inside his windpipe. The baby was then admitted to the ENT department.

The doctors of the ENT department said that due to an obstruction in the windpipe, there was no proper supply of oxygen to his lungs. As a result, the patient was suffering from tremendous respiratory distress. After going through the X-ray report, the doctors decided to conduct a surgery on the patient. 

On Saturday night, doctors at the ENT department successfully conducted an operation by removing a piece of cloth from his windpipe. Doctors said that a red coloured cloth got stuck. It is believed that the baby somehow swallowed it. They also said that it would have been difficult to save the life of the baby if there would have been any further delay.

A senior official of the hospital said that the doctors conducted the surgery on a war footing as a little delay could have been proved fatal for the baby.  Ever since, the baby has been doing fine. The family members, however, lodged a complaint against the senior officials of the Chittaranjan Seva Sadan. Hospital authorities have assured the family members that a probe would be conducted in this connection.