Man in India mistakes stomach pains for indigestion, discovers live cockroach wriggling inside

man stomach cockroach cover

Man experiences severe stomach pains, finds live cockroach wriggling in stomach

A 23-year-old man suffering from severe abdominal pain and indigestion for several days was horrified to learn that the culprit was a live cockroach lodged in his small intestine.

The man, who had been dealing with bloating and discomfort for three days, initially thought it was indigestion, having eaten street food before that, reported Times of India.

Cockroach was ‘alive and kicking’

According to The Indian Express, he eventually sought medical attention at Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj, Delhi, India.

An Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Endoscopy was conducted, and within 10 minutes, doctors discovered a 3cm live cockroach.

man stomach cockroach

Source: Oddity Central

The Indian Express said the cockroach was “alive and kicking”. 

The team of doctors decided to remove it using an endoscope with two channels — one for air and water infusion and the other for air suction.

Dr Shubham Vatsya, Senior Consultant, Gastroenterology, explained: “We activated the suction button on the scope, effectively sucking the cockroach into the suction channel, leading to its removal from the body and saving the man’s life.”

He added that the patient was unaware that he had consumed the cockroach. “Even we were surprised as to how the cockroach managed to stay intact,” said Dr Vatsya.

3cm cockroach could have been fatal

If left untreated, the cockroach could have caused severe complications, including infections, which could be life-threatening, said Dr Vatsya. 

He added that the patient might have swallowed the cockroach while eating or it could have entered his mouth while he was sleeping.

Such incidents are not uncommon. In September, a man experiencing persistent coughing discovered that a cockroach had crawled into his throat and lodged in his trachea.

Also read: Man in China found with cockroach in his airway, suffers persistent coughs & bad breath

Man in China found with cockroach in his airway, suffers persistent coughs & bad breath

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Featured image adapted from Oddity Central and Nishaan ahmed on Unsplash for illustrative purposes only.

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