A Florida man who was enjoying breakfast with his wife encountered a gruesome problem when his intestines fell out of his body after coughing and sneezing at the same time.
If you've ever wondered if you can cough and sneeze at the same time, the answer is yes, but it doesn't end well.
The 63-year-old was enjoying breakfast with his wife when a sudden cough and sneeze led to a freak injury that left paramedics stunned.
According to the American Journal of Medical Case Reports, the man noticed a ‘wet’ sensation followed by sharp pain after the sneeze.
When he lifted his shirt, he saw several inches of his bowel protruding from a recent surgical wound on his abdomen.
Amazingly, his first thought was to drive himself to the hospital. However, fearing he could worsen the injury, he reconsidered, and his wife called for an ambulance.
Paramedics arrived within five minutes and observed a three-inch opening with ‘large amounts of bowel’ protruding through it. While the man’s shirt was soaked with bodily fluid, the paramedics noted minimal bleeding.
They remarked that they had never encountered such an injury and were unsure of the best treatment as normal protocols had not prepared them for this.
Knowing the intestines needed to be kept moist, the paramedics covered them in saline and wrapped the man in gauze around his abdomen before rushing him to the hospital.
Two weeks earlier, the man had undergone surgery for complications related to prostate cancer. The surgery was successful, and doctors had sent him home in good condition.
On the morning of the incident, the man had his wound examined and sutures removed. The breakfast at the diner was intended to celebrate his improving health, but it soon took a turn for the worse.
Upon arriving at the hospital, he was rushed to an operating room where multiple doctors deliberated on the best course of action. Fortunately, they found no damage to his bowel and were able to place it back inside his body, closing the wound with both internal and external stitches.
He remained in the hospital for a few days to recover and suffered no further complications.
After six days, he was on his way home.
