Chinese doctors in Tanzania’s Zanzibar perform first-ever surgery to remove foreign body from boy child

The 34th batch of the Chinese medical team in Tanzania’s Zanzibar has successfully operated on a five-year-old boy using fiberoptic bronchoscopy to remove a foreign body.

According to Chen Wei, leader of the medical team, the operation, believed to be the first of the kind in Tanzania, was conducted at the Mnazi Mmoja hospital Tuesday, after a local doctor tried to remove the foreign body — a necklace chain ball — from the child but failed.

“If the foreign body was not removed immediately, his life might be in danger,” said Chen, adding that the child had already developed hypoxia symptoms.

Chen declared that the operation created many firsts in Zanzibar’s medical history, including the first foreign body removal under fiberoptic bronchoscopy and the first bronchoscopy under general anesthesia for children.

The successful implementation of this technology fully reflected the will and determination of the Chinese medical team to work together to overcome difficulties. It also reflected the significant advantages of the intraoperative multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment model in local hospitals.

(Xinhua)