Four-year-old Montana Drew is finally able to eat an icy pole after Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) surgeons removed a five-cent coin from her oesophagus last month.

Montana had been unwell for six-months after a holiday in Thailand with her family late last year. After months of vomiting up to 30 times a day, x-rays at the RCH finally revealed the cause of Montana’s mystery illness.

RCH surgeon Dr Joe Crameri said he sent a camera down Montana’s throat, but the scar tissue was so thick the coin wasn’t visible. A dye test revealed only a trickle of liquid could get through the blockage.

”I was absolutely gobsmacked,” said Montana’s mum Tania Martin. ”We were told the coin could have been swallowed years before.”

It took a seven-hour operation to remove the coin by cutting into the side of Montana’s chest and opening the oesophagus. And during a week in intensive care, Montana’s lung collapsed twice.

Montana is now doing well and is hoping to be able to eat Easter eggs when the Easter Bunny visits the RCH.

Click here to read the full story on The Age website.