Chicken Bone Lodged in Esophagus: Narayana Health Doctors Save 70-Year-Old with Rare Endoscopic Extraction
Shivamogga, Sept 12, 2025: A simple meal turned into a life-threatening emergency for a 70-year-old man when a chicken bone got lodged in his esophagus, piercing the food pipe and causing severe breathing distress. Thanks to the timely intervention and advanced endoscopic expertise at Sahyadri Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Shivamogga, the patient’s life was saved without the need for a high-risk open surgery.
The case was managed by doctors’ team led by Dr. Shivakumar V, Senior Consultant – Gastroenterology. He said this case is an important lesson: “Never eat distracted—whether glued to a TV screen or a smartphone—because one careless bite can become a medical emergency.” In fact, this was the second such case managed at the hospital recently, highlighting the hidden dangers of inattentive eating, particularly with non-vegetarian meals.
Dr. Shivakumar said, the patient arrived with severe chest pain and difficulty in breathing after being referred from another facility. CT imaging revealed that the sharp bone had eroded the esophagus, causing a dangerous perforation with air and fluid leaking into the chest wall and mediastinum.
“Given the perforation, surgery was a possibility, but due to the patient’s high surgical risk we opted for an advanced endoscopic approach,” explained Dr. Shivakumar. Under general anesthesia, his team including gastroenterologists Dr Sumesh Nair, Dr Pooja Krishnappa carefully fragmented and removed the bone using minimally invasive endoscopic techniques. The perforation was then successfully closed with metallic clips, while supportive measures including chest drainage and specialized feeding ensured healing.
“Such cases are highly challenging because the risk of infection and respiratory failure is enormous. But with prompt intervention and a multidisciplinary team effort, the patient recovered fully within four days,” Dr. Shivakumar added.
Congratulating the team, Mr. Verghese P John, Facility Director of Sahyadri Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, said: “This case is an evidence to our hospital’s ability to handle rare, complex emergencies with skill, technology, and coordinated care. It highlights the importance of awareness as well as preparedness.”
