Miami, Florida – A recent incident at a diner in Florida left researchers stunned as a man sneezed so forcefully during breakfast that parts of his intestines protruded through a surgical wound on his abdomen. The case, documented in a medical journal, details the unexpected consequence of a sneeze for a 63-year-old man with a history of prostate cancer.
According to the report published in May 2024, the man had recently undergone a cystectomy, a surgical procedure to remove his urinary bladder, due to a cancer recurrence. Just 15 days post-surgery, he and his wife were enjoying a meal at a local diner to celebrate his recovery when the unexpected incident occurred.
The man’s doctors had indicated that he was healing well and could have the staples removed from his wound on the morning of the incident. However, a violent sneeze followed by coughing led to the unusual situation where the man felt loops of his intestines protruding from the surgical site.
In a moment of shock, the man covered the exposed area and sought immediate medical attention by calling an ambulance. Once paramedics arrived, they provided pain relief before rushing him to the nearest hospital, where his vital signs were reported to be stable.
Three urologic surgeons performed a delicate procedure to carefully return the eviscerated bowel back into the abdominal cavity, noting no additional injuries. This case sheds light on a rare complication of wound dehiscence post-cystectomy, providing valuable insights for the medical community.