Star of David with 'Life' inside threatens life of toddler when swallowed
Photos from Kaplan Medical Center showing doctor with pendant after it was pulled out, and girl with medical clown and playing with soap bubbles.
By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICHUpdated: JUNE 29, 2015 16:39Star of David with “Life” inside threatens life of toddler when swallowed(photo credit: COURTESY KAPLAN MEDICAL CENTER)
A 22-month-old toddler was saved on Friday night at Rehovot’s Kaplan Medical Center when doctors pulled out of her esophagus a Star of David pendant that she swallowed that caused fever and choking, The child, Tali Aseraf, started to choke violently, causing her mother, Sharon, to ask her if she had swallowed something. She said immediately that her throat hurt and that she had swallowed a piece of jewelry. The mother called Magen David Adom and was told what to do until a mobile intensive care ambulance arrived. At Kaplan’s emergency room, an x-ray was taken, clearly showing a sharp-edged pendant shaped like a star of David with the word “Hai” (Hebrew for life) inside. Dr. Udi Katznel, who was on duty in the pediatric emergency room, quickly organized a team that put the toddler under general anesthesia. They gently pulled out the piece of metal using an endoscope to view it and tiny forceps. Kaplan ear-nose-and-throat specialists said that if a child has difficulty swallowing, chokes and has develops a fever, an ambulance should be called immediately. “But to prevent it, keep small objects out of the reach of young children,” they added.