9-month-old choked – and doctors were stunned to discover what was hidden in his throat

A nine-month-old baby from Binyamina suffered for five days from an unusual cough and hoarseness after a choking incident. An X-ray showed no findings, but an endoscopic examination revealed a piece of plastic from a ketchup package stuck between his vocal cords. He was rushed to the operating room and the foreign body was successfully removed.

A nine-month-old baby from Binyamina arrived at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center after suffering for five days from an unusual cough and hoarseness following a choking incident. According to his parents, the baby choked while on the floor at home, and they patted his back in an attempt to help, but did not notice a foreign body being expelled. Afterwards his breathing improved, but the symptoms persisted. An X-ray performed on the baby showed no findings, but due to suspicion of a foreign body in the airway, he was referred to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. Using an endoscope, a tiny camera inserted through the nose, the doctors discovered a red foreign body stuck between the vocal cords. It later turned out to be a plastic corner from a ketchup sauce package, about one centimeter long. Dr. Tali Teitelbaum noted that the nature of the cough, hoarseness, and choking incident without signs of infection raised suspicion. Fortunately, the piece of plastic was lodged vertically, so air could pass on both sides, but movement could have caused significant blockage. The baby was urgently transferred to the operating room, and Prof. Yitzhak Braverman, director of the ENT department, successfully removed the foreign body. After the surgery, the airways were scanned to ensure no additional foreign bodies remained, and the baby was discharged home in good condition. The medical center emphasizes that persistent symptoms after a choking incident require medical examination, even if the child resumes breathing.