> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://chiragjain.gitbook.io/neetcode/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://chiragjain.gitbook.io/neetcode/378-kth-smallest-element-in-a-sorted-matrix/code.md).

# CODE

```python
class Solution:
    def kthSmallest(self, matrix: List[List[int]], k: int) -> int:
        # store the val, row and column of the element that is
        # extracted from the matrix
        h = [(matrix[i][0], i, 0) for i in range(len(matrix))]
        heapq.heapify(h)
        
        # Pop k times, the last pop would give us the result
        for _ in range(k):
            val, row, col = heapq.heappop(h)
            # If there is still element in the given array, push 
            # the next element
            if col + 1 < len(matrix):
                heapq.heappush(h, (matrix[row][col + 1], row, col + 1))
        return val
            
        
```