Doctors at Indraprastha Apollo hospital, India, were taken in for surprise when they found a piece of leather belt approximately eight-inch long between the lungs and heart when operating an a patient for tuberculosis.

Anuj Ranjan, 20 years, from Allahabad underwent several tests and was concluded to have a fistula in his chest cavity. A surgery was needed to clean the fistula, an abnormal passage (opening) created due to infection. But when operating on him to remove the infected part of the lung and cleaning the fistula, the doctors found an 8” long leather belt piece settled between the heart and lung.

The doctors removed a small cloth piece along with 4 pieces of the leather belt in a three-hour long surgery. The doctors had initially considered the case to be that of a routine surgery as they knew that Anuj was following an anti-tubercular treatment since 18 months and the formation of fistula is not an uncommon complication in cases as such.

While operating on the infected portion of chest cavity, the doctor initially pulled out a small leather piece and shortly after, drew a long portion of leather belt. The patient, Anuj, said that the leather belt must have entered his body when he had a road accident about 4 years back. A few days after the accident, he complained of high fever, chest pain and breathlessness following which anti-tubercular treatment was started for him.

Even his X-ray reports displayed patches in the left lung since the piece of leather belt was situated near the lung. Other symptoms were similar to those seen in tuberculosis patients and hence, was treated for the same for 18 months.

Finding no relief for 18 months, Anuj’s parents consulted various doctors and were recommended a surgery to clean a fistula formed due to pus collection in chest cavity. The infection was found to be spreading quickly to his other lung too and his respiration rate was too low.

It was only during the operation that the foreign body was presence of a foreign body was discovered. Now that the leather belt is removed, Anuj has recovered and is in a condition to be discharged from hospital with a hope of getting back to normal life.

Source:

The Times of India