What made the case particularly unusual was that the man had no heart-related symptoms. His vital signs were normal, and despite the potentially life-threatening foreign object inside his heart, his cardiovascular system was continuing to function. Doctors in China were shocked to discover a 36mm sewing needle embedded in the heart of a 35-year-old man who had gone to hospital complaining of painful urination and blood in his urine.
The man, who has an intellectual disability, was examined at Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital after experiencing pain while urinating and haematuria, or blood in the urine, Science Alert reported. doctors feared the needle could move further and cause a heart rupture, severe bleeding or infection Although the patient’s heart was still functioning normally. During surgery, doctors also found sewing needles lodged in the bladder. Some had become covered in hard, stone-like deposits, suggesting they had been there for a considerable period. These were subsequently removed to reduce the risk of bleeding, leakage and other complications. The patient recovered well after treatment. However, doctors were unable to determine how the needles had entered his body. Neither the man nor his family could provide a clear explanation. Such cases involving needles in the heart are extremely rare. In some cases, foreign objects can remain in the heart for extended periods without causing obvious symptoms, making diagnosis particularly challenging.
They therefore decided to remove the cardiac foreign body first. A 2024 scientific review found only 34 reported cases of needles deliberately inserted into the heart as a form of self-harm since 1967.
