The patient had accidentally swallowed his denture, which became stuck just below the junction of the food pipe and windpipe in the upper oesophagus, causing severe respiratory distress and throat pain. He also experienced significant difficulty swallowing and severe chest discomfort.

Standard extraction methods using forceps or snares risked tearing the oesophageal lining, potentially leading to severe infection or fatal haemorrhage. Imaging studies confirmed the dental prosthesis was firmly lodged at a delicate point in the food pipe, with sharp metallic clasps posing a risk to the oesophageal lining.

When traditional endoscopic tools failed to remove the plate, Professor Anil Arora and Dr Shrihari Anikhindi applied an endoscopic laser beam to fragment the denture into smaller pieces inside the throat. To protect the oesophagus from sharp edges during extraction, a specialised overtube was inserted. Each piece was then removed through this protective sleeve, fully clearing the obstruction.

Describing the case as extremely challenging, Anil Arora, Chairman of the Institute of Liver, Gastroenterology and Pancreaticobiliary Sciences at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, “This was one of the most difficult foreign bodies we have encountered. Conventional removal techniques like foreign body forceps or a polypectomy snare carried a high risk of injury to the oesophagus.”

Dr Shrihari Anikhindi, Consultant in Gastroenterology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, explained the procedure: “The laser allowed us to safely break the denture into smaller fragments. The overtube protected the normal esophagus from sharp edges, enabling us to remove the foreign body without resorting to open surgery, which has considerable morbidity.”