Cockroach Extracted from Man's Small Intestine — and It Was Still Alive

Mar. 15, 2025

Stock image of a cockroach.Photo: Getty Images

A 23-year-old man who sought medical care for pain and indigestion discovered that the source of his agony was acockroachin his small intestine.More specifically, alivecockroach.“For the last two, three days, the patient was suffering from indigestion and bloating after eating food. It was during routine inspections that we incidentally spotted the cockroach,” Dr. Shubham Vatsya, Senior Consultant, Gastroenterology, said, according toIndian Express.Vatsya shared that they removed thecockroach— which measured 3 centimeters in length, roughly the length of a U.S. penny — during an endoscopy at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, India.Stock image of man with intestinal pain.GettyOnce they found it, “we immediately proceeded to extract the insect,” Vatsya said, citing numerous health concerns.“We activated the suction button on the scope, effectively sucking the cockroach into the suction channel, leading to its removal from the body and saving the man’s life,” Vatsya said.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Stock image of a cockroach.GettyThe patient had no idea that he’d consumed the cockroach, which managed to stay alive not only after being eaten — but also, after being sucked out in the endoscopy tube.“Even we were surprised as to how the cockroach managed to stay intact,” said Vatsya.Cockroaches are a well-known vector for disease, according to theNational Library of Medicine, which lists a host of pathogens the insects carry, including E. Coli,  Staphylococcus,  Salmonella, Rotavirus, Aspergillus, and more.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

A 23-year-old man who sought medical care for pain and indigestion discovered that the source of his agony was acockroachin his small intestine.

More specifically, alivecockroach.

“For the last two, three days, the patient was suffering from indigestion and bloating after eating food. It was during routine inspections that we incidentally spotted the cockroach,” Dr. Shubham Vatsya, Senior Consultant, Gastroenterology, said, according toIndian Express.

Vatsya shared that they removed thecockroach— which measured 3 centimeters in length, roughly the length of a U.S. penny — during an endoscopy at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, India.

Stock image of man with intestinal pain.Getty

Getty

Once they found it, “we immediately proceeded to extract the insect,” Vatsya said, citing numerous health concerns.

“We activated the suction button on the scope, effectively sucking the cockroach into the suction channel, leading to its removal from the body and saving the man’s life,” Vatsya said.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Stock image of a cockroach.Getty

The patient had no idea that he’d consumed the cockroach, which managed to stay alive not only after being eaten — but also, after being sucked out in the endoscopy tube.

“Even we were surprised as to how the cockroach managed to stay intact,” said Vatsya.

Cockroaches are a well-known vector for disease, according to theNational Library of Medicine, which lists a host of pathogens the insects carry, including E. Coli,  Staphylococcus,  Salmonella, Rotavirus, Aspergillus, and more.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

source: people.com