A 30-year-old man in Huaihua, Hunan Province, China, left doctors speechless after they found a large, live eel lodged inside his body.
He had arrived at the emergency department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Medicine alone on 1 July with excruciating abdominal pain.
The patient was reportedly pale, sweating profusely, and clutching his abdomen.
When doctors conducted a CT scan, they discovered that the creature had burrowed through his rectum and punctured his sigmoid colon, entering the abdominal cavity.
Source: Xiaoxiang Morning Herald
The internal injury had triggered diffuse peritonitis — an acute infection of the abdominal lining that can lead to septic shock if untreated.
Medical staff described the man’s abdomen as “board-like,” a classic red flag for severe infection and internal damage.
Further complicating matters, the man had eaten a large bowl of noodles less than an hour before arriving, making general anaesthesia especially risky due to the danger of aspiration — where stomach contents are accidentally inhaled into the lungs, making breathing difficult or impossible.
Source: Xiaoxiang Morning Herald
A surgical team ultimately opted for a laparoscopic operation to limit further trauma.
The minimally invasive procedure involves inserting surgical instruments through small incisions in the body.
During surgery, doctors discovered the eel had completely exited the bowel and was still alive, wriggling inside the abdominal cavity.
The area was heavily contaminated by intestinal fluids and bacteria.
Source: Ifeng Weekly
The team carefully clamped and removed the eel intact, sutured the perforated colon, and performed extensive saline irrigation to reduce the risk of infection.
Thanks to their swift coordination, the man made a full recovery and was later discharged in stable condition.
Doctors later issued a stern warning, noting that the intestinal wall is extremely delicate and not built to withstand foreign intrusions.
Inserting objects into the rectum can result in perforation, massive bleeding, and life-threatening infection.
Such cases must always be treated as medical emergencies.
The eel in question was reportedly a swamp eel (Monopterus albus) — a species common in China’s ponds and rice paddies, known for its ability to burrow through soft mud.
Its tunnelling instinct likely exacerbated the damage inside the man’s body.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Xiaoxiang Morning Herald on Weibo and Ifeng Weekly on Weibo.