This is the incredible X-rayof a man in China showinga 12cm-long chopstick he had stuck in his throat for an astounding eight years, because he was terrified of surgery. The man, who it's reported had the surname Wang, only eventually went to hospital in March after finally having enough of the oesophageal interloper.

Chinese site Daxiang News reported Mr Wang swallowed the unruly utensil eight years ago when he was drinking alcohol and eating. It's said he did feel an initial pang of pain but did not suffer any breathing problems. Initially Mr Wang, who was an alcoholic, thought the discomfort was down to his drinking.

After some time Mr Wang began to feel something was amiss and he visited doctors who suggested they could make an incision in hisneck to remove the chopstick. Worried what would happen if it went wrong, Mr Wang declined.

READ MORE:New AI superintelligence warning over consequences for humans

READ MORE:Orchids flower more with 'chopstick' watering method

Eventually however Mr Wang decided to undergo surgery and had the chopstick removed at Dalian Municipal Central Hospital in northeastern Liaoning province in early March. X-rays of the chopstick show how he endured having the huge eating implement lodged in his neck for nearly a decade.

TheSouth China Morning Postreports Dr Huang Weipeng, from Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, said: "He told us a chopstick was trapped in his throat. I thought it happened just now, but he said this was eight years ago."

An examination found the metal chopstick has embedded in the soft tissue around Mr Wang's throat, but incredibly it had not damaged his food or breathing tubes, or his vocal cords.

The operation was a success and Mr Wang was discharged chopstick-free several days later.

Chinese social media has reacted with astonishment at Mr Wang's story. One person wrote: “12cm long. My God, it is so long. How did he endure it for such a long time?”

Source: Daily Express :: World Feed