In what is best described as an agonizing brush with death, a man in southern China survived a miracle after being involved in an accident where a metal rod went through his mouth and into his head. The stunning incident, which happened during a night out with workmates, has attracted attention for its bizarre circumstances and the unprecedented medical intervention that ensued.
The man, whose alias was Aqiang, was said to be having food and beverages with colleagues when the unthinkable occurred. Highly intoxicated, Aqiang attempted to stand up but lost his balance and fell onto the dining table. In a near-bizarre turn of events, a 40 cm-long metal rod that was leaning on the table struck his head, pulling it through his mouth.
A Terrifying Scene Unfolds
Eyewitnesses said the incident was horrifying. When Aqiang’s mouth started to bleed, his stunned colleagues quickly dialed emergency services. He was taken to Shenzhen University General Hospital in the Guangdong province, where trauma doctors geared up for a rare medical fight. The hospital shared his case on social media on April 11.
The hospital later posted information on the case on social media, sending shockwaves of shock and worry throughout the region.
Life hanging by a millimeter
Physicians in the hospital's trauma center characterized the case as "extremely rare and dangerous." A scan with an X-ray showed that the rod had avoided a large brain blood vessel by only 2 millimeters, so thin that a misstep during surgery could have meant death on the spot.
The foreign object had high bacterial contamination," one physician said. "The light traveled through the mouth, eye socket, and near the brain. "Any small error could have been fatal."
Firefighters were summoned to inspect the visible portion of the cane before surgery started. To make things worse, the cane had a metal clip on its tip, making it even more difficult to remove safely.
10 hours of high-risk surgery
The operating team worked for 10 hours to extract the cane. Miraculously, they were able to do so without inflicting additional damage on Aqiang's brain or other vital organs. He was kept in intensive care for a few days after the surgery, closely monitored to manage the high risk of infection.
Despite of losing the use of his right eye, Aqiang's motor and speech abilities were all intact - an almost miraculous achievement, considering what had happened to him.
"Blessing in a bad situation"
Aqiang was finally discharged from the hospital after a month. Looking back on his survival, he expressed sincere gratitude:
“I still feel scared when thinking about the incident. I was saved by doctors. It is a blessing in a bad situation,” he said, grateful for the life-saving treatment.
(Input from various media sources)
(Rehash/Muhammad Faisal Arshad/MSM)