When surgeons dug into a man's groin to repair a painless bulge, they made the unexpected discovery of a living, 10-inch-long (26 cm) worm snug in his abdomen. Adding to the oddity, the man told the surgeons that this had actually happened to him before, according to a case report in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The 71-year-old man had opted to have surgery to repair the bulge, which was an inguinal hernia. These types of protrusions are fairly common, particularly in older men, and occur when a small amount of abdominal contents, such as fat or a bit of intestines, slips through a gap or weak point in the muscles and tissues of the abdominal wall. This bodily leakage creates an external bulge that, in some cases, can be painful and uncomfortable. If the bulge's contents become stuck and pinched off, it can even create a life-threatening situation called a strangulated hernia. But, in other cases, the escaped innards are painless and loose and can be temporarily put back in place by simple, gentle massage.
Most people with inguinal hernias will need surgery at some point to patch up their weak abdominal wall. But, for older men with no pain or discomfort, doctors may suggest watchful waiting, delaying surgery until the need is clear. This was the case for the man. But he elected to repair the inguinal hernia, which was on his right side.
