Enter the trouble zone

As an ENT specialist, Dr Neelam Vaid has seen many unusual cases in and out of her clinic. Most of them, however, centre around the unwel...

As an ENT specialist, Dr Neelam Vaid has seen many unusual cases in and out of her clinic. Most of them, however, centre around the unwelcome presence of a foreign body that may have entered the nose, ear or throat and created severe complications.

8220;One case that immediately comes to mind is of a 40-year-old teacher I treated about four months back. She used to wear dentures for two front teeth. Apparently, one evening, while she was having dinner, she discovered that the dentures were missing. She didn8217;t realise what had happened. But soon it became difficult for her to swallow food. After some time she couldn8217;t even swallow her own saliva. That was when her family and she realised that perhaps her dentures had loosened and she had taken them in with her food.

8220;She was rushed to the hospital. I received a call at midnight and was asked to come to KEM Hospital. The X-ray we took clearly showed the dentures stuck in the food pipe. What was worse was that the wires of the dentures had got entangled with the muscles and nerves inside the oesophagus.

8220;There was no option other than operating. So we opened up her neck from the side and extracted the dentures carefully, so as to cause minimum damage. The patient had to be hospitalised and fed by tube for seven days. While discharging, she was given explicit instructions to eat only soft food for a week 8211; and the first thing she ate on reaching home was bhakri! In the evening, she returned to the hospital with severe pain and a swollen neck. This time, though, we could treat her externally. Now, of course, she is fine and a little more careful about her denture fitting, I8217;m sure.8221;

Vaid warns that though this case was the only one of its kind handled by her, there are dangers of this incident recurring since many people tend to wear ill-fitting dentures and need to be educated on its dangers.

Yet another unusual case she cites is of a four-year-old boy who came to be treated for a cold that refused to go away. 8220;The cold had been around for four months. It had become so bad that the skin below the boy8217;s nose had started to peel off due to the continuous running and the consequent wiping.

8220;I looked into his nostrils and found that it seemed too congested. So I told his parents that I would like to investigate it further. The child was given anaesthesia, and when I began to clear the nostril passage, what tumbled out was a small pebble. This was followed by a betel leaf that had inside it more small stones, gravel and mud, all neatly rolled and shoved up the nostril. This had been done by the kid himself and had been there all these months, causing an infection which was mistaken for an unusually stubborn cold!8217; Talk about having a nose for trouble.

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More