The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-23
EXPLORING A BOYS LUNGS.
A Pin Expelled After Search Had Been
Made Through the Windpipe.
New York Tribune.

Made Through the Windpipe.
New York Tribune.
Albert Austin the twelve-year-old son of Tax
| Collector r. S. Austin, of Walingford. Conn.
| while in the act of blowing pin through tin
tube. on September 7, laughed and drew the pin
| from the tube into his throat. He Immediately
began to cough violently, and it was feared that
| he would choke to death before the arrival Of a
| physician. When the physician came he made
an attempt to remove the pin with forceps, but
! in so doing 1t was forced or passed through the
windpipe into the bronchial tubes. The boy had
! frequent fits of coughing, in consequence of the
efforts of nature to remove the foreign substance
eHpectorated mucus continually, vOmited after
| taking food, and upon one occasion threw up o
| small quantity of blood. He did not spit any
blood, however, which was considered favor
able sign The boy was in fair health
| well nOurished, and complained only of
constant, irritating cough, which however
was without pain. His appetite remained good
but the stomach rejected all food. A consulta
ton of all the local physicians was held and a
further attempt WAS made to remove the pin,
without success, and it was finally determined
that il would require a surgical operation to eX
tract it, and the boy was taken from his home to
the Mount Sinai Hospital in this city, for treat
ment.
Upon his arrival at the hospital an examna-
ton was made. Respiration was found to be
weak, and his voice greatly diminished in tone
There were sibilant and sonorous raes, and a
slight dullness in the left lung which would dis
|
the same intensity in the right lung. A peculiar
boarse, whistGng noise was discovered in the
right lung, over the middle lobe,
n 'front.' and after a minute exam
nation of the boys throat with
laryngoscope it was concluded that the pin had
passed into the right lung and lodged in the mid
die lobe On Sept ID the boy was taken to the
operating room and chlorofOrmed. In the pres
physician. after the boy head had been placed
in a position fully to expose the throat, made
an incislon on the line of the windpipe, as close
to the breast bone as was consistent with safety,
about an inch and half long ard the skin,
muscles, and fatty substance divided. The op-
Grafton was considerably delayed, and the dan
ger increased by the fact that the traehea was
unusually deep, and situated to the left of the
median line The knife was sparngy used and
great precaution taken not to sever veins unnec-
essarily as there is always danger as soon as the
windpipe is cnt that the blood will rush through
the opening into the lungs and suffocate the
patient
After the flesh had been carfully removed
from the trschea, and the bleeding had been
stopped, an incision was made with quick
stroke of the knife through the windpipe, and a
direct passage opened into the lungs. lnstru
ments of different sizes and shapes were re-
peatedly passed into the tubes of the right
lung with the hope of Selling the pin, but it
could not be found 1t was then determined,
after consultation that the operation be dseOn
tinued until an instrument adapted to this par
tlculdf case, u uTdNlLS VI hulCH WAS SuDulllVGu
by the attending physician could be made.
silk thread WAS then stitched to each of the
tracheal rings and integuments on either side of
the passage and left of sufficient length to af-
ford means of opening the tracheal incision
when necessary. Catgut stitches were also taken
in the skin, and bandages of gauze were also APP
piled to the wound. The operation lasted about
one hour and half The patient speedily re
covered from the shock, and suffered only from
slight stomach trouble. The tracheal wound
was kept open by repeatedly stuffing it
with gauze. The only signs in the lung were
sonorous, sbiant raes on both sides.
On Sept % the boy was again ehlorotormed.
A double tube, one fitting closely inside the
other so as to allow the inner one to be removed
and any mucus that might accumulate to be
taken out was introduced through the opening
into the wndpipe, TO afford greater facility for
breathing The tube fitted the opening exactly,
so as to prevent all foreign matter from passing
into the lungs. Shortly after the tube was in
serted the boy was seized with violent fit of
spasmodic coughing, during which the larynX
seemed to close entirely the patient got black
in the face and was in danger of suffocation
The tube was quickly removed and tho boy