A 63-year-old man faced a shocking ordeal when he sneezed and coughed simultaneously while sitting at his dinner table, causing his colon to protrude from his body. This incident occurred shortly after he had undergone abdominal surgery. The man experienced a sharp pain and upon lifting his shirt, discovered several inches of his colon sticking out of a surgical wound.
Paramedics who arrived at the scene found a significant amount of bowel protruding through a three-inch incision. Fortunately, there was minimal blood loss, and the exposed organ was undamaged. Medical professionals were able to reposition his bowel back into his abdomen after transporting him to the hospital.
To prevent the wound from reopening, surgeons performed internal and external stitches, including figure-of-eight stitches, which are considered highly advanced and strong. The patient remained in the hospital for six days and recovered without any complications.
The man had previously battled prostate cancer, and the recent surgery aimed to address complications from prior procedures, including bladder removal. His stitches were removed by doctors on the morning of the incident. Following this, he and his spouse decided to celebrate his recovery with breakfast at a diner.
The American Journal of Medical Case Reports noted that while wound dehiscence is a known post-operative complication, bowel evisceration through the abdominal wall after cystectomy is rarely reported.
