The mystery was finally unraveled—the culprit behind the patient’s distress was a 1.0×1.0 cm piece of poultry bone.
Recently, the team led by Professor Dong Wen, Vice President of Hainan Cancer Hospital and Director of the Department of Respiratory Medicine & Lung Tumor Endoscopic Center, successfully extracted the foreign body via rigid bronchoscopy, putting an end to this prolonged affliction.
Foreign Body Extracted in the Surgery
Seven-Year Cough with Elusive Causes
Since 2017, Ms. Chen presented with unexplained cough and expectoration. Initially dismissed as a common cold, her symptoms worsened over time. She sought care at multiple local hospitals.From initial evaluations, it was suspected to be tuberculosis, while subsequent specialists considered it to be calcification from dust inhalation, yet no definitive treatment plan emerged.
In the following years, her cough fluctuated without resolutions.
In March 2022, Ms. Chen experienced a sudden exacerbation with severe lung infection. Despite anti-infective therapy, pulmonary opacity persisted, complicating the diagnostic dilemma. In July 2024, bronchoscopy revealed right lower lobe dorsal segment bronchitis, suspicious for endobronchial tuberculosis, but the cause remained unclear. A March 2025 follow-up showed airway occlusion with suspected foreign body, which could not be retrieved due to technical constraints.
Years of suffering left Ms. Chen physically and mentally exhausted, nearly losing hope for recovery.
Rigid Technology Breaks the Deadlock, LeavingForeign Bodies in the Airway Nowhere to Hide
When Ms. Chen fell into despair, she was referred to the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Hainan Cancer Hospital in mid-April.
Professor Dong Wen and his team decided to perform rigid bronchoscopy for foreign body removal after thorough evaluation.
As Professor Dong explained, rigid bronchoscopy is a cornerstone technology in respiratory intervention. Despite its technical challenges, it offers irreplaceable advantages in specific indications.
Safety Assurance: A large working channel allows ventilator connection to maintain oxygenation during procedures;
Precision Manipulation: Mechanical dilation via metal bronchoscope prevents airway collapse, enabling precise targeting;
Efficient Process: Rapid suction of hemorrhage and mucus improves procedural safety.
Seven-Year Ailment Resolved in One Operation: Successful Foreign Body Extraction
During the procedure, Professor Dong Wen’s team carefully inserted the rigid bronchoscope, navigating complex anatomy with expertise to localize and extract the 1.0×1.0 cm poultry bone.
Professor Dong Wen’s team performing the surgery (Photo)
This small bone had lurked in the airway for years, triggering a cascade of health issues.
Postoperatively, Ms. Chen’s cough and expectoration significantly improved. “I’ve been tortured by cough for years. Who would have thought a bone was the cause? Thanks very much to Professor Dong’s team,” she expressed gladly.
During the following close observation and treatment, Ms. Chen fullyrecovered and was discharged as scheduled.
Expert Advice
Professor Dongemphasizes the importance of food safety to prevent airway foreign body inhalation. Persistent unexplained cough or expectoration warrants prompt medical evaluation for early diagnosis and intervention.
Expert Profiles
Dong Wen
Vice President, Director of Department of Respiratory Medicine & Lung Tumor Endoscopic Center
Chief Physician, Master of Medicine
Hainan Province High-Level Talent (Special Category)
Master’s Supervisor
Medical Expertise
Dr. Dong is adept at targeted therapy and immunotherapy for lung cancer, and respiratory endoscopic interventions
Clinic Hours
Tuesday AM
Yang Mingxing
Deputy Director of Department of Respiratory Medicine & Lung Tumor Endoscopic Center
Attending Physician
Medical Expertise
With extensive clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases, Dr. Yang is also proficient in bronchoscopy, airway tumor intervention, medical thoracoscopy, and use of ventilators.
Clinic Hours
Tuesday PM, Thursday AM
Drug Clinical Trial Recruitment
Drug clinical trials offer patients access to cutting-edge therapies at no cost, providing new recovery possibilities for patients.
The National Drug Clinical Trial Institution of Hainan Cancer Hospital is currently recruiting participants for the locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
If you or a patient you know meets the following criteria and is interested in enrolling, please contact the relevant research personnel directly.
The locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Study Title: An Open-Label, Multicenter, Randomized Phase III Trial Comparing Glumetinib vs. Docetaxel in Patients with Driver Gene-Negative, MET-Overexpressing Locally Advanced and Metastatic NSCLC Progressing After Immunotherapy and Platinum-Based Chemotherapy
Indication: Locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC
Investigational Drug: Glumetinib
Control Drug: Docetaxel (1-hour IV infusion)
Administration: Oral
Department: Respiratory Medicine & Lung Tumor Endoscopy
Contacts: Wang Xiuqing (13876263450); Wang Shihui (13976363324)
KRAS pG12C-Positive/PD-L1-Negative NSCLC
Study Title: A Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label Trial Evaluating Sotorasib Plus Platinum-Based Chemotherapy vs. Pembrolizumab Plus Platinum-Based Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for PD-L1-Negative, KRAS p.G12C-Positive Stage IV/IIIB-C Non-Squamous NSCLC
Indication: KRAS pG12C+ / PD-L1-NSCLC
Investigational Drug: Sotorasib
Control Drug: Carboplatin/Pemetrexed
Administration: Oral
Department: Respiratory Medicine & Lung Tumor Endoscopy
Contacts: Wang Xiuqing (13876263450); Lu Quan (13556746656)
Malignant Tumors with Pleural and Abdominal Effusions Patients (Including Pelvic Effusions,Excluding Primary Liver Cancer)
Study Title: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Controlled, Multicenter Phase III Trial of rmhTNF-NC (Tianenfu®) Injection Plus Cisplatin vs. Cisplatin Alone for Intracavitary Perfusion in Malignant Pleural and Abdominal Effusions
Indication: Malignant tumors with pleural and abdominal effusions patients (including pelviceffusions, excluding primary liver cancer)
Investigational Drug: Recombinant Human Tumor Necrosis Factor (rmhTNF-NC, Tianenfu®)
Control Drug: Cisplatin Injection
Administration: Intracavitary perfusion
Department: Respiratory Medicine & Lung Tumor Endoscopy
Contacts: Wang Xiuqing (13876263450); Wang Shihui (13976363324)
Article | Huang Fei