Hero Royal Stoke doctors save toddler's life in peanut alert

Two Royal Stoke doctors have been recognised for helping to save the life of a toddler who had swallowed a peanut. Doctors Mohamed Haris and Dr Viktoria Oakden answered the call for help from colleagues at the facility's dedicated children's hospital.

The medics had to retrieve the nut from the 18-month's left lung. And following their efforts Dr Haris, respiratory consultant, and Dr Oakden, who used a small camera and forceps to safely remove the peanut, have been handed an award.

The dedicated pair were nominated by Mariet Antony, pleural nurse specialist, with the doctors later presented with the CEO Award by UHNM Chief Executive, Dr Simon Constable. Mariet said: "After receiving the request for help from our paediatric colleagues, I called Dr Haris on his mobile, and despite being a very busy senior consultant, he always responds and provides clinical assistance or guidance.

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"He answered straight away and indicated he could do the bronchoscopy and asked me to get in touch with Dr Oakden to assist him with the procedure. Despite being in a team meeting she also came straight away."

Speaking after receiving his award, Dr Haris, who has worked at UHNM for 12 years, said: "We carry out advanced bronchoscopies mainly in adult patients with a tumour or foreign body that needs to be removed. Our Paediatric colleagues had done their best to explore the airways and take the peanut out, but needed the assistance of the Plural Service who have 24/7 access to the bronchoscopy equipment.

"As well as a blocked airway which made the infant feel breathless, there was also the risk that they could have developed pneumonia beyond the blockage, and there is then a risk that the pneumonia could develop into sepsis. It was a completely different scenario for us, as we were dealing with very small airways rather than larger ones in adult patients.

"It was challenging because whilst we’re used to carrying out the most advanced bronchoscopies, we were trying to use the camera that we use for adults to get into the airways. We can only go as far as the camera could take us, but using forceps, luckily, we were able to get the peanut out."

Dr Oakden, a pleural and advanced bronchoscopy fellow, said: "I am very grateful for the recognition of our work and grateful to colleagues for their support. I’m pleased that we were able to help the patient, because of the risk of immediate and long-term complications." Dr Haris added: "We were happy to respond to the call and take pride in the work that the team does."

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