An Indian man had 40 knives surgically removed from his stomach after he developed a habit of eating the utensils for two months, according to the doctor who led the operation.
It took the surgical team about two days to form a diagnosis and a surgery plan. The five-hour operation took place on Friday.
Surgeons found foldable knives, some of which were open, in the man’s stomach. Some of the knives had started to rust and some were broken.
"We were so nervous ... A small mistake could have taken the patient's life," Dr. Jatinder Malhotra told CNN. "In my 20 years of practice, I have never seen anything like it."
The patient is now "out of danger" and is set to be discharged in a couple of days. He told doctors that he doesn't know why he started eating knives, but he "developed a taste for metal" and "loved the way blades tasted."
The man, a 42-year-old father of two, kept his habit a secret from his family.
"I'm sorry I let my family down. I'll be forever thankful to doctors and hospital staff for saving my life," he said.
After the operation, the man said he won't even touch a knife anymore. His surgeon told him to try spinach the next time he needs more iron in his body.
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