Bone Removed From Man's Lungs After Persistent Cough and Weight Loss

Forty-one-year-old Mehmet Polat sought medical help at Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital due to persistent coughing, fatigue, and severe weight loss. Associate Professor Onur Derdiyok and his surgical team examined the patient in Istanbul's Sariyer district and detected a suspicious area in his right lung.

Initial bronchoscopy and tests proved inconclusive, prompting the medical council to perform a Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery on July 7. Rapid pathology during the operation confirmed the lesion was not cancerous, revealing a half-centimeter bone fragment instead.

“I love meat, so I think it's normal. Finding the bone didn't surprise me much, but I'll eat it a bit more carefully from now on.”

Surgeon Derdiyok stated that foreign body sleeve operations are extremely rare and warned citizens not to ignore persistent symptoms. He noted that delayed treatment could have eventually required the removal of the patient's entire lung.

Reflecting on the unusual procedure, Polat remarked that he was not surprised by the discovery because he enjoys eating meat. He added that he intends to eat it with more caution moving forward.