A 12 cm long leech lived in the boy's throat (4 photos)

The parents of the boy, whose name is Xiaoxiang, went to the doctors complaining of difficulty breathing. During a medical examination, the little patient coughed up a 12-centimeter live leech, shocking the doctors.





It is reported that the 7-year-old schoolboy had previously been admitted to the clinic complaining of coughing and blood in his saliva, but the treatment he was prescribed was ineffective.

Leech in the Lungs

The patient was transported to Pu'er Hospital in China, where he was immediately sent to the pediatric department. Specialists performed inhalation, finding a living creature in the child's body - a leech about 12 cm long. He immediately underwent electronic bronchoscopy.



Fortunately, after examining the respiratory tract, no other foreign creatures were found in the patient's body. It was soon established that the leech had been in Xiaoxiang's lungs for quite a long time, causing a serious infection.

Treatment Course

The treatment course included deep cleansing of the lungs and removal of blood clots in the area. The procedures, according to doctors, were successful. If attempts to remove the leech were unsuccessful, the insect could block the airways, causing suffocation.



Xiaoxiang's family lives in the countryside. In his free time, the boy often goes to the river. It was probably during one of these visits that leech eggs or larvae entered the child's trachea. The moist environment in the body created ideal conditions for the parasite to develop. Thanks to the efforts of the medical staff, the little patient made a full recovery.