Live lungfish fish surgically removed from lung

e014bce7-10d7-44f8-9d76-3506d02643b9


A 12-year-old boy from India has reportedly had a live fish removed from his lung.

The fish became stuck there during a bizarre fish-swallowing game that the victim, Anil Barela, was playing with friends on a riverbank.

Apparently, the child loved the game, which involved swallowing live fish, but on this occasion he somehow managed to inhale it, with the unfortunate creature ending up in the child’s left lung.

Unsurprisingly, Anil struggled to breathe soon after, and was taken to hospital where it was found that his oxygen levels in the blood were in rapid decline, due to lung obstruction.

After a 45-minute operation, the fish was removed, and according to Dr Pramod Jhawar, was still taking its last breaths as they removed it.

The fish did not survive the procedure, however, and died after. No information exists on how the child is faring, but we know that he survived the surgical procedure.

Why not take out a subscription to Practical Fishkeeping magazine? See our latest subscription offer.