A 15-year-old boy in Vinh Long, Vietnam, required urgent surgery after imitating a dangerous stunt he saw online.
The teen, identified as PTM, was admitted to Can Tho City Children’s Hospital on 11 Jan after inserting a 35cm network cable into his urethra.
Source: Tuoi Tre News
His family brought him to the hospital when he experienced intense pain, swelling, and bleeding in his genital area.
Upon examination, doctors discovered the foreign object lodged inside his urethra.
The operation to remove the cable was no easy feat as the cable was longer than the boy’s urethra — which normally measures 12 to15 cm in length.
According to Dr Vo Ngoc Lan, the surgical team had to make an incision for removal as the cable had coiled and become tightly wedged within the anterior urethra.
Source: Vĩnh Long Online
The teen, who had confessed to imitating a “challenge” video, remained in intensive post-operative care for seven days, during which he needed a urinary catheter.
He was then discharged after his condition stabilised.
Dr Ta Vu Quynh, Head of General Surgery at Can Tho City Children’s Hospital, noted that while foreign objects in the urinary tract are not uncommon in pediatric surgery, this case was particularly severe.
If not treated promptly, such cases could cause long-term complications for reproductive and urinary health.
The hospital has observed an increasing number of injuries resulting from social media challenges.
As such, it urges parents and schools to be more proactive in overseeing children’s online activity.
Dr Lan stressed that it is important for both guardians and educators to warn children, especially those under 16 years old, about the risks of imitating online challenges.
Also read: Man in Taiwan ends up in hospital after getting 20cm vibrator stuck inside rectum during sex
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Featured image adapted from Tuoi Tre News.