Foreign Object in RH Lung

[seedy]

During a dental appointment in January, a small cavity was found under the crown on my RH rear molar, which was covered with a gold crown. This required the crown to be removed, cavity filled, and crown replaced.

Said crown was stubborn, and when it finally popped loose, it bounced off the roof of my mouth, and down my throat into my airway and my right hand upper lung.

X-Ray looks amazing !!!

I must have this removed, and would like anyones recommendation of where to have the procedure done. I live in Chaing Mai, but - have crown will travel !!

Been told here in Canada - I am still waiting - that you go in thru the nose with a camera and light and a small grappling thing, down the throat, into the lung, grab it, and remove.

What could be easier !!!

Thanks

[Sheryl]

I suspect is not in your lung but rather in your right bronchus and that what you need is a bronchoscopy with removal of the foreign body.

In which case any pulmonary specialist can do it but it is going to cost you about 60,000 baht in a place like Bumrungrad, less (maybe 30,000 but that’s just a guess) in a non-profit like St Louis. And of course more if any complications occur or you have to stay overnight.

Assuming you are paying out of pocket I suggest you see this doctor at St Louis Hosp:

Dr. Phichai Namsirikul

• 1967 Graduated from Assumption College
  - 1973 Graduated from Ramathibodi Hospital , Mahidol University
• - Internship at Ramathibodi Hospital 1973 – 1974
  - Residency in Internal Medicine at St. Mary ‘ s Hospital , University of Rochester Rochester , N.Y.
  - Fellowship at St. Elizabeth ‘ s Hospital , 1974 – 1977
  - Tuft ‘s University Boston , MA , UAS
  Diplomate , American Board of Internal Medicine and pulmonary Diseases

Monday :: 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Wednesday :: 09:00 AM - 03:00 PM
Saturday :: 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM

If you have insurance, could do it at Bumrungrad, suggest one of these docs:

http://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Yongyudh-Ploysongsang

http://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Chankanok-Kuagoolwongse

http://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Charn-Kiatboonsri

http://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Kasem-Sirithanakul

http://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Visit-Udompanich

http://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Warakarn-Vilaichone

Be sure to bring along all films etc and a short medical summary from doc in Canada if possible.

[FBN]

There is some urgency here but be sure that there is not a complete blockage to airflow otherwise you may not be fit to fly..

[mogandave]

Is the dentist not responsible for the cost?

Aren't they supposed to lay a piece of gauze in the back of your mouth to block it in case they drop something?

[seedy]

Many thanks Sheryl. As always - a pleasure to read your post.

Will contact the good Doctor on arrival, that is if the medical establishment here in Canada do not get off their duffs before I fly back to LOS in Nov.

Which I am sure they will not - the gave the case from the Yukon to a doctor in Vancouver. After over 100 days waiting for some sort of reply, I was told - "Oh, the doctor takes the summer off. He is not back to work until 3 Sep."

Re: - the dentist responsible for the cost ? I am not even going there, will pay out of pocket, and upon returning to Canada next spring will try and have some fun with Yukon health care aboout getting my money back !!! Should be loads of fun !!!

[seedy]

Made an appointment via email - the good Doctors name did not come up on a search in the hospital, but I put it in the comments box. Will let you know how it goes.

[Sheryl]

The St Louis website is a bit tricky. To find a doctor you have to go to the clinic page first then click on make online appointment, that will bring up the list of docs and then you can click on their names for their profiles. the search function doesn't work well.

[seedy]

What would we do without you !!!

A Price above Rubies !!!

Many thanks.

[seedy]

A surprising turn of events ...

My voice started to change last Friday - cold coming on ???

Then, at 0230 Saturday morning, I woke up coughing - hard.

Lo and behold, the crown came up and out, along with a small amount of blood.

Flem which I coughed up before was quite yellow, and during the last week has become a much more pale color and a much less amount.

Will not need the surgery now.

Took nine months, but the body has finally ridden itself of this pesky crown.

Looks good as new too !!

Edited October 16, 2013 by seedy

[FBN]

Please have a follow-up X-ray to confirm that there is no residual damage to the lung; an abscess must be excluded even though it seems that you have been extremely fortunate!

[thaiexpat21]

An amazing story!

The OP is lucky to have, seemingly, escaped potentially serious consequence.

In most places (and I would have thought all places in the West) this inhaled FB (crown) would have been removed as a matter of urgency within 24 hours if not sooner.

A 9 month delay ! .......................I am speechless (not really............. But my thoughts are unprintable)

The OP should as suggested get a check CXR.

[seedy]

Upon returning to Canada in late January, went to see my doctor. X-Ray and CT Scan done.

Was told that the Whitehorse, YT hospital did not have the correct tool to grasp and remove the foreign object. Was referred to a surgeon in Vancouver.

After waiting until June with no further contact with anybody, went back to my GP. Was told that the Doc I was referred to takes off 4 months each year, and will return to work in Sept. Asked why another Doc was not given the referral. Told that 'This is the Doc we use ' !!!

Start of Sept I was told that he only does surgery one day a week, and I would not get to see him until after New Year 2014 !!!

This was when I contacted this forum, and Sheryl gave me the recommendation for the Doc at St. Louis.

Going to see my GP here tomorrow, final episode of this travesty I hope.

PS - they said if I started coughing up blood, I would be fast-tracked. But until then, wait my turn.

So much for Universal Health Care in Canada. My tax dollars at work !! Better off jumping on the bird to LOS and have it done right away.

[ableguy]

Glad it all worked out for you sorry and shocked that the doc splits for 4 month every year. But to add a little fairness you do live in a sparsely populated area.

[thaiexpat21]

Upon returning to Canada in late January, went to see my doctor. X-Ray and CT Scan done.

Was told that the Whitehorse, YT hospital did not have the correct tool to grasp and remove the foreign object. Was referred to a surgeon in Vancouver.

After waiting until June with no further contact with anybody, went back to my GP. Was told that the Doc I was referred to takes off 4 months each year, and will return to work in Sept. Asked why another Doc was not given the referral. Told that 'This is the Doc we use ' !!!

Start of Sept I was told that he only does surgery one day a week, and I would not get to see him until after New Year 2014 !!!

This was when I contacted this forum, and Sheryl gave me the recommendation for the Doc at St. Louis.

Going to see my GP here tomorrow, final episode of this travesty I hope.

PS - they said if I started coughing up blood, I would be fast-tracked. But until then, wait my turn.

So much for Universal Health Care in Canada. My tax dollars at work !! Better off jumping on the bird to LOS and have it done right away.

Thanks for the explanation !

The "tool" required is pretty simple and the procedure (brochoscopy) can be undertaken by Anesthetists , Intensivists, Emergency Physicians,Thoracic Surgeons and Pulmonologists !

Whilst understanding that Whitehorse is a very small (49 bed) hospital it does claim to provide Emergency and Intensive Care facilities. It should therefore be able to undertake an emergency bronchoscopy.

I have just spoken to a friend who just by chance works as an Anaesthetist in a large Toronto hospital and mentioned your case.

She was horrified by your tale and suggests you pursue a complaint/explanation for the potentially life threatening delay in providing you with treatment . (This suggestion is not made in a "legalistic" sense but rather with the aim of improving the service.)

Glad for you that it has all worked out well despite the obvious shortcomings you discovered in the Canadian health care system.

Edited October 17, 2013 by thaiexpat21

[seedy]

Thank you.

You should have experienced the run-around I had in getting a copy of my own X-Ray and CT Scan !!

Sorry, I was told, you can not have a copy without written consent from your Doctor. Why, I asked ?? Because we try and limit the distribution. But it is my body ! Sorry, but that is our policy.

Unbelievable !!

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

cheeky question, but have you tried hanging upside down?

[seedy]

Spent much time doubled over hacking merrily away - but inverted ...

Will give that a shot if it ever happens again !!!

[seedy]

Went for another X-Ray friday. No abcess, no nothing.

Seems I dodged another bullet in this life - one of many !!!