A 60 - year - old Tanzanian citizen was successfully treated at Caritas Hospital after doctors discovered and removed a fish bone that had been lodged in his left lung for 3 years, using an advanced bronchoscopicprocedure—without the need for open surgery.

The patient had been suffering from persistent cough and shortness of breath for the past 3 years, which did not respond to conventional medical treatment.He had accidentally aspirated a fish bone, but had forgotten the incident over time.He later presented to Caritas Hospital as part of an evaluation for suspected cancer.

During imaging studies, doctors found that the entire left lung was collapsed, and the initial scans suggested a possible malignant spread to the lung.The case was then evaluated by the Department ofPulmonology.

On bronchoscopic examination, the foreign body was not immediately visible, as it was completely enclosed within a tumor - like inflammatory growth.Through careful endobronchial debulking, the team gradually removed the surrounding lesion, revealing the impacted fish bone, which was then successfully extracted after a two - hour bronchoscopic procedure—avoiding open surgery.

The procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team comprising Dr Fairooz Fathima(interventional Pulmonologist)Dr Deepu(Senior pulmonologist)Dr Shyam(Anesthesiologist) Dr Elizabeth(pulmonologist), with technical support from Mr Simon.

Doctors emphasized that long - standing cough and breathlessness not responding to treatment should not always be attributed to asthma, and that impacted foreign bodies can remain undetected for years, mimicking serious conditions such as lung cancer.