In a bizarre and unsettling incident, a 58-year-old man named Haikau from Henan Province experienced severe discomfort after inhaling a cockroach while sleeping. The incident, which occurred earlier this week, left Haikau with foul breath and persistent coughing for three days before he sought medical attention.
According to reports, Haikau felt something crawling into his nose and moving down his throat while he was asleep. Initially dismissing the sensation, he woke up to find his breath turning foul and began coughing up yellow sputum. Despite the discomfort, he continued with his daily routine, hoping the symptoms would subside.
However, after three days of worsening symptoms, Haikau decided to visit an ENT specialist at Hainan Hospital. Initial examinations revealed nothing unusual in his upper respiratory tract. Determined to find the cause of his discomfort, Haikau underwent a chest CT scan, which revealed a shadow in the posterior basal region of his right lower lobe.
Cockroach found in Scan:
Dr. Lin Liong, a respiratory and critical care physician, conducted a bronchoscopy the following day. “During the operation, I clearly saw something with wings in the bronchus. The foreign body was wrapped in a lot of phlegm. After sucking out the surrounding phlegm, the foreign body was exposed. It was a cockroach,” Dr. Liong explained.
The cockroach, which had begun to rupture inside Haikau’s airway, was successfully removed during the procedure. Post-operation, Haikau reported feeling significantly better, with a reduction in coughing and yellow phlegm, though a slight odour remained.
This unusual case highlights the importance of maintaining proper hygiene and pest control to prevent such incidents. Health experts have also emphasized the need for immediate medical attention if similar symptoms occur, as delays can lead to severe complications.
The incident has sparked widespread interest and concern on social media. Many expressing both shock and amusement at the bizarre nature of the case1.
