KNH doctors save boy, 2, by removing groundnuts lodged in lung without surgery

Baby Jayden, her mother and KNH doctors after the lifesaving procedure on January 12, 2026./KNH

A multidisciplinary team at Kenyatta National Hospital successfully carried out a bronchoscopy procedure to remove a foreign object from the lung of a two-year-old boy, Jayden, without surgery, on Monday, January 12, 2026.

According to the multidisciplinary team lead, Dr. Diana Marangu, a section of the child’s right lung was paralysed after food became lodged in his respiratory system.

The boy, who was rushed to the health facility by his mother on New Year’s Day, began choking after eating groundnuts and drinking milk on Christmas Day.

Caroline, Jayden’s mother, noticed something was not right when he developed a persistent cough that refused to go away.

The following week, Caroline moved from one clinic to another, where she was assured that her son was fine and only had minor infections. The medical practitioners sent her home with prescribed medications, but the cough became more intense as Jayden grew more uncomfortable.

Baby Jayden and her mother at KNH after the lifesaving procedure on January 12, 2026./KNH

Caroline explained that, as a mother, she sensed something was seriously wrong with her child’s health. Trusting her instincts, she took Jayden to Kenyatta National Hospital, where tests revealed that part of his right lung had collapsed.

Doctors confirmed that the cause was likely a foreign object that entered the airway during the choking episode.

Foreign body aspiration, particularly among toddlers, can be difficult to detect. Symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, or recurrent chest infections are often mistaken for common childhood illnesses.

In Jayden’s case, the lodged food had gone unnoticed long enough to partially collapse his lung, putting him at risk of severe infection or permanent lung damage.

The groundnuts removed from baby Jayden lungs on January 12, 2026./KNH

A multidisciplinary team was assembled to handle the delicate case. Led by Consultant Paediatric Pulmonologist Dr. Diana Marangu, specialists in paediatric respiratory care, anaesthesia, nursing, and intensive care worked together to plan a high-risk but lifesaving procedure.

On January 5, the team performed a rigid bronchoscopy, a specialised procedure that allows doctors to access the airway and lungs without open surgery.

The operation required precision and coordination. Using the rigid bronchoscope, doctors carefully navigated Jayden’s airway and successfully removed multiple pieces of peanut lodged deep in his right lung.

Remarkably, the procedure was completed without the need for surgery, reducing the risk of complications and speeding up recovery.

KNH doctors during the lifesaving procedure on January 12, 2026./KNH

The hospital reported that following the procedure, Jayden was closely monitored in the Intensive Care Unit to ensure his breathing stabilised and his lung re-expanded properly.

Within days, his condition improved dramatically. The persistent cough disappeared, his breathing returned to normal, and his playful energy soon returned.

Today, Jayden has made a full recovery. For Caroline, the ordeal was both traumatic and eye-opening—a reminder of how easily a child’s symptoms can be overlooked, but also proof of the power of persistence and attentive caregiving.

Doctors have warned that small foods like groundnuts pose a serious risk to children under three years and should be avoided.