Doctors at a major hospital in Toulouse, in southern France, faced an almost unbelievable emergency when a 24-year-old man arrived complaining of severe abdominal pain and discomfort. At first, he offered no clear explanation for his symptoms. It was only once he was taken into surgery that the full extent of the situation became apparent.

Surgeons discovered a World War I artillery shell lodged in his rectum. The device, estimated at around 16 centimetres long and 4 centimetres in diameter, was believed to date back to 1918. Medical staff were suddenly confronted not only with a delicate surgical procedure, but also with the possibility that they were operating on a live explosive.

Standard emergency protocols were immediately triggered. Parts of the hospital were evacuated as a precaution while bomb disposal experts, police and firefighters rushed to the scene. The operating team maintained the patient’s stability as explosive specialists assessed the shell’s condition.

Firefighters later confirmed to French media that the device was defused and no longer posed a danger. The patient underwent surgery to remove the shell and is now recovering under medical supervision. While his injuries were serious, doctors indicated that he was fortunate to have sought help before the situation became fatal.

The case has raised questions beyond the operating theatre. Under France’s strict weapons and munitions laws, possession of historic but potentially dangerous ordnance can carry legal consequences. Authorities are examining how the man obtained the shell and whether charges may follow.

Emergency physicians and surgeons say this incident, while extreme, is part of a broader and troubling pattern. Hospitals around the world regularly report cases of patients inserting foreign objects into their bodies, often out of curiosity, sexual experimentation or as part of ill-judged pranks.

In one widely reported case in India, a 45-year-old man endured 10 days with a metal cup trapped in his rectum before finally seeking treatment. In another, in the United States, a man was caught on camera placing antique items into his body inside a shop, then quietly returning them to the shelves.

Doctors warn that such behaviour can cause perforations, severe internal bleeding, infection and long-term damage to the digestive tract. They stress that anyone in distress must seek urgent medical help and that handling or inserting explosive or sharp objects is not only reckless but potentially deadly.