Boy’s Secret Revealed in X-ray
Did you ever do something naughty when you were a child and think that if you just kept it a secret from mom or dad that you would evade getting in trouble? That’s what a 15-year-old boy in Ohio thought, too, when he swallowed a dart from a blowgun. Unfortunately, the dart became lodged in his throat and an x-ray at the emergency room showed the evidence.
Blowguns Easy to Make, But Potentially Deadly
This boy’s story exemplifies the fact that blowguns are dangerous; he had been coughing for three hours before he finally asked to be taken to the ER. Blowguns are designed to allow darts to be propelled outward by a forceful breath and are relatively easy to make since they are typically just a narrow tube. In fact, the boy had found instructions on the Internet to make his blowgun, and most of these websites do not adequately warn of the dangers of blowguns.
Surgical Procedure Required to Remove Dart, Other Boys Affected
The 15-year-old boy’s story was recently highlighted in an article published in the July 22 issue of Pediatrics. The same doctors who wrote the article say they witnessed two other boys, ages 14 and 15, during the same time period that had also aspirated a blowgun dart. In all of the cases, the blowgun darts were removed using a narrow tube that is inserted down the throat to view objects in the airway and remove them. Although the boys were lucky, doctors warn that blowguns should not be used by teens or children, as the darts could easily puncture a hole in the airway or lungs, or even injure the voice box.
recently named in the 2009 edition of Best Lawyer's In America, David Mittleman has been representing seriously injured people since 1985. A partner with Church Wyble PC—a division of Grewal Law PLLC—Mr. Mittleman and his partners focus on medical malpractice, wrongful death, car accidents, slip and falls, nursing home injury, pharmacy/pharmacist negligence and disability claims.
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