CHUK doctors remove coin lodged in baby’s stomach for a month

The Frw 50 coin was extracted on Monday, May 26, 2025, using endoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure that avoided the need for surgery.

The child’s mother said she had initially been told that surgery would be necessary to remove the coin.

Doctors extracted the coin using endoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure that avoided the need for surgery.

However, doctors at CHUK’s gastrointestinal (GI) medical service used an endoscope, a flexible tube with a camera and tools inserted through the mouth into the stomach, to locate and safely remove the foreign object.

Endoscopy allows doctors to diagnose and treat conditions inside the digestive tract without making incisions, reducing recovery time and risks associated with open surgery.

This successful procedure comes amid growing advances in Rwanda’s medical field. Earlier this month, King Faisal Hospital performed the country’s first percutaneous closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a rare heart procedure conducted on a stroke patient.

The procedure, carried out on May 16, was led by visiting Swiss cardiologist Dr. Hugues Lucron alongside Rwandan specialist Dr. Gérard Misago.

A PFO is a small opening between the heart’s upper chambers that normally closes after birth but can remain open in some people, increasing the risk of stroke.

Using a catheter inserted through a vein, the medical team deployed a nickel-titanium closure device to seal the opening permanently. Over time, heart tissue grows around the device, completing the repair.

King Faisal Hospital expressed gratitude to Occlutech Europe and its partners for supporting this national milestone, calling it a significant step forward in advancing cardiovascular care in Rwanda.

The two recent successful procedures showcase Rwanda’s progress in adopting minimally invasive medical technologies that enhance patient outcomes and save lives.

The team of CHUK medics who successfully removed a coin stuck in an 18-month-old child’s stomach for one month.

The coin had been lodged in the baby’s stomach for a month.