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Dental drill falls into patient's lung

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VASTERAS, Sweden, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- A Swedish hospital said new precautions are being taken after a dentist's drill unattached during a procedure and ended up in a patient's lung.

Officials at the Vastmanland Central Hospital in Vasteras said the drill became loose and fell into the mouth of a 60-year-old woman, who was undergoing dental implant surgery last September, The Local.se reported Friday.

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"She tried to spit it out, and was made to cough, but she'd already swallowed," said Per Weitz, the hospital's medical chief.

Weitz said an X-ray revealed the drill was lodged in the woman's right lung and a bronchoscopy was performed to remove the object.

"A pinky-sized tube was sent into her lung with a small camera and pliers to grab hold of the drill," Weitz said.

Doctors said the woman made a full recovery about a month after the incident.

The incident was reported to the National Board of Health and Welfare and Weitz said new precautions are being adopted to prevent further occurrences.

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