A man shoved a coconut into his bum

[Sandra]

A man who shoved a coconut into his bum needed to get it yanked out by surgeons.

The constipated 56-year-old, who wasn't identified, waited two days before seeking medical attention.

Writing in the British Journal of Surgery, medics claimed that he had been unable to urinate and complained of severe abdominal pain.

Upon examination, scans showed the fruit was lodged in his rectum, compressing his urethra and preventing him from urinating. 

The coconut, measuring 9cm in length, was then extracted via laparotomy — an operation that involves opening the abdomen.

Medics did not reveal when the man was discharged.

Laparotomy procedures, however, often involve a hospital stay of up to five days and a recovery period of between six to eight weeks, according to the NHS.

Reports in medical literature of objects being stuck in intimate areas date back to the 16th century.

As well as corks, other objects reportedly recovered by medics over the years include plastic aerosol caps, a plastic cup and even a child's toy.

NHS doctors are no stranger to dealing with similar incidents, with data analysis last year finding about 400 'foreign' objects are pulled from English anuses each year.

This was estimated to cost the taxpayer roughly £340,000 a year for things like drugs for performing procedures, and the manpower of NHS staff.

But the insertion of objects into a rectum, also known as anal play, carries a number of risks.

As well as getting stuck objects, they can also potentially perforate the bowel which can be deadly as material from the digestive tract can spill into other parts of the body, causing an infection.

People most commonly shove objects into their rectum for sexual pleasure.

This is partly to do with the number of nerves in the anus making it highly sensitive, and for women it can also indirectly stimulate parts of the vagina.

The insertion of objects into a rectum, also known as anal play, carries a number of risks.

As well as getting stuck objects, they can also potentially perforate the bowel which can be deadly as material from the digestive tract can spill into other parts of the body, causing an infection.

The NHS advises that anyone exploring anal play do so safely, and use an object with a flared base to prevent it from getting lost inside.