Anisa Salim, a 14-year-old girl from Sumedang, West Java, had to live with a needle lodged in her respiratory tract for 17 days before doctors in the West Java capital of Bandung managed to extract it.
On September 18, Anisa was fixing her hijab, and, as many women do, she held onto the needle with her teeth while her hands rearranged the fabric. Her friend then accidentally bumped into her, causing her to swallow the needle.
Anisa’s case became widely known in her hometown, with even the Sumedang regent coming to visit her at a local hospital. Her treatment was delayed due to financial constraints as her family couldn’t afford the procedure to extract the needle. Anisa then applied for a BPJS national healthcare plan to pay for the procedure, which was eventually approved by the end of September.
Anisa was then transferred to Hasan Sadikin Hospital (RSHS) in Bandung, where this morning specialists managed to extract the needle without surgery.
RSHS Otorhinolaryngologist Sinta Sari Ratunanda said the procedure took 45 minutes using a bronchoscope.
“During extraction, the needle was piercing the patient’s respiratory tract. But using certain techniques, the extraction was carried out smoothly,” Sinta said, as quoted by Detik today.
Sinta added that Anisa is in stable condition and that there were no complications during the procedure. If all goes well, Anisa will be able to go home in two days.
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