In a remarkable tale of medical intervention, Vietnamese doctors recently saved the life of a 34-year-old man in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. On March 20, the man was admitted to the Hai Ha District Medical Center with severe abdominal cramps. Despite his agony, medical staff conducted X-rays and ultrasounds, revealing a foreign object in his abdomen, alongside intestinal perforations and peritonitis, a condition marked by inflammation of the abdominal lining, as reported by Oddity Central.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, doctors opted for surgery to remove the mysterious object and repair the damaged intestines. However, what they encountered during the procedure astonished them—a live 30 cm-long eel had taken refuge within the man's abdomen. The intricate surgery also involved excising necrotic colorectal segments, posing a significant risk of infection. Nonetheless, the skilled medical team adeptly extracted the eel and stabilized the patient, who reported only mild discomfort post-surgery. Despite his stable condition, he remains under observation to ensure his continued recovery.
When questioned about how the eel came to reside within him, the man could offer no coherent explanation. Doctors speculated that the eel may have entered through the anus, gnawed through the intestinal wall, and journeyed into the abdomen. The revelation that the eel was still alive inside the man's body left the hospital staff astounded, drawing comparisons to scenes from science fiction films like the Alien franchise, where extraterrestrial creatures burst from hosts' bodies.
Dr. Pham Manh Hung, addressing the local media, underscored the rarity of such occurrences and highlighted the potential hazards associated with surgical procedures near the rectal region due to contamination risks.
Describing the situation, Dr Pham remarked, "The rectum is a highly contaminated area, and infections are a major concern. Thankfully, the surgery was successful."
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