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40 Knives
Photo credit: BBC
An Indian man swallowed 40 knives over a period of several months. Perhaps slightly embarrassed by his unusual cravings, the 42-year-old failed to tell doctors that he had a habit of ingesting sharp instruments. Instead, the man simply told the team that he was experiencing abdominal pain, letting the medical mystery go on for longer than it needed to.After conducting a series of diagnostic tests, doctors were alarmed to discover an arsenal of knives in his gut. An invasive procedure was the only means of retrieving the man’s deadly stash.Days of preparation were necessary before surgery was given the go-ahead. It took surgeons five painstaking hours to remove the assortment of blades. Some of the knives were folded. Others were left with the blade exposed, spanning lengths of up to 18 centimeters (7 in).[6]Doctors were uncertain as to why the patient had such a strong predilection for metal knives. However, it was suggested that he suffered from pica, an eating disorder that compels individuals to consume nonfood materials. The condition is linked to a variety of factors, including iron deficiency anemia, pregnancy, stress, trauma, and certain mental health conditions.Pica sufferers have been known to eat feces, soil, ice, paint, metal, glass, soap, toothbrushes, and clay. Over the years, a number of high-profile pica cases have emerged. In 2002, a patient in France had over 4,000 francs, in coins, removed from his stomach. More recently, a British woman had to overcome her addiction to eating sponges.4 Glass Bottle
Photo credit: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Where, pray tell, was the glass bottle inserted? The following title from the journal Annals of Surgery has you covered:“Accidental Introduction of Giant Foreign Body into the Rectum: Case Report.”[7]According to the story, a 73-year-old farmer was admitted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center with a bottle ensconced in his back passage. In the absence of a proper latrine, the man had ventured to a dumping ground to defecate in the great outdoors.Adhering to his customary ritual, the man devised a crude toilet by balancing a wooden board across two supports. He pulled down his pants and readied himself. Unfortunately, the gentleman had a slight issue with his weight, causing the board to break.The full force of the man’s weight was brought to bear on a glass bottle that was partially embedded in the ground. The bottle entered the poor man’s rectum, wide end first. Unhappily, the ordeal was not over. Writhing around in agony, he then fell on his side. This act caused the neck of the bottle to shatter, making it almost impossible to retrieve without medical intervention.The inquisitive reader may be skeptical of the man’s tale. However, according to the scientific journal, it appears his story may hold water:“Past and family history both indicated an absence of perverted tendencies.” It goes on: “The patient was remarkably stoic and complained only during examination of the anal area.” Doctors anesthetized the patient’s anus and removed the bottle using obstetric forceps. Suture ligatures were then used to stem the bleeding.The journal even goes on to chronicle some of the other bizarre objects removed from the anuses of patients. Aside from the regulars (cucumbers, carrots, broom handles, test tubes, etc.), there were a few surprising ones:“Among the more exotic objects have been spectacles, suitcase key, a half-filled tobacco pouch, [a 15-centimeter (6 in) by 13-centimeter (5 in) box of tools weighing 634 grams (22 oz), a stone 17 centimeters (7 in) wide weighing about 0.9 kilograms (2 lbs)], and a frozen pig tail.”The pig’s tail example was so curious that further inquiries were necessary. A quick literature search revealed that a bunch of students, for reasons unexplained, inserted the pig’s tail into a prostitute’s rectal cavity. When the tail thawed, its bristles made it difficult to extract. A stroke of genius provided the solution. A hol
