Quang Ninh, Vietnam

The human body's capacity to confound knows no bounds, the latest one being an astonishing discovery of a live creature taking up residence within the human body. Such was the scenario in a case from Vietnam, where doctors were confronted with the extraordinary task of removing a live eel from a man's abdomen.

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In a bizarre medical case that has stunned many, a 34-year-old Vietnamese man underwent surgery to remove a live eel from his abdomen after it allegedly entered his body through his anus.

The shocking incident unfolded in the Hai Ha District Medical Center in Quang Ninh Province, where the man sought treatment for excruciating abdominal pain.

Doctors suspect that the slippery sea creature made its way into the man's body via his rectum and traversed through his colon, causing discomfort.

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The discovery of the eel was made during an ultrasound and X-ray examination, which revealed the foreign being lodged in the man's digestive tract.

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"This is a rare case," said the Head of Surgery, Pham Manh Hung, emphasising the unusual nature of the incident.

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"The rectal area has a lot of fecal fluid and is easily infected with bacteria, but it was performed safely so the surgery did not have any problems."

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Unfortunately, the eel's presence led to complications such as intestinal perforation and peritonitis, resulting in inflammation in the abdomen. Intestinal perforation refers to a condition where there is a hole or rupture in the wall of the intestine.

This can occur in any part of the intestine, including the small intestine or the large intestine (colon). It is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Symptoms of intestinal perforation may include severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. 

Despite the successful removal of the eel, the patient experienced mild abdominal discomfort post-surgery and remained hospitalised for observation.

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In another such case, medical professionals in the northwestern state of Punjab, India, were left astounded when they conducted surgery on a man who had presented with symptoms of nausea, fever, and intense abdominal pain.

They discovered an assortment of foreign objects inside his stomach, including earphones, nuts and bolts, lockets, and screws. Following a meticulous three-hour operation, doctors successfully extracted the objects from the stomach of the 40-year-old patient.

(With inputs from agencies)