Pen cap stuck in Telangana man's lungs for over two decades: Here’s how doctors pulled it out in a 3-hour procedure

Doctors at a private super-speciality hospital successfully removed a pen cap that had been lodged in a man’s lungs for 21 years. The 26-year-old from Karimnagar, Telangana, had unknowingly carried the foreign object since accidentally swallowing it at the age of five, according to a release from KIMS Hospital.

Persistent symptoms lead to shocking discovery

The man had been suffering from a persistent cough and unexplained weight loss for the past month. Over the last ten days, his condition worsened, making it difficult for him to sleep.

After consulting doctors at KIMS Hospital, a CT scan revealed an infection in the lower left lung. He was then referred to KIMS Hospital in Kondapur, Hyderabad, for further examination.

A pen cap hidden for two decades

Consultant Clinical and Interventional Pulmonologist Dr Shubhakar Nadella explained how they identified the object.

"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," he said.

During the procedure, doctors contacted the patient’s elder brother to ask if he had ever swallowed anything as a child. The brother recalled that, at the age of five, the patient had accidentally swallowed a pen cap.

At the time, a doctor had examined him but found nothing unusual, assuming the object had naturally passed out of his body.

A complex three-hour procedure

Dr Nadella explained that the procedure to remove the pen cap took nearly three hours.

"Using 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," he said.

Although the foreign object had caused some lung damage, doctors managed to restore the affected area with antibiotic treatment. The patient has now fully recovered.

Inputs from PTI