Man has a CRAB surgically removed from his ear after it crawled in while he was sunbathing on a beach in Abu Dhabi
- 38-year-old was lying on the beach when the creature crawled into his ear
- He did not know what it was but rushed to hospital with excruciating pain
- Doctor used an endoscope to look inside his ear and removed the baby crab
A man has had a crab surgically removed from his ear after it crawled in while he was sunbathing on a beach in Abu Dhabi.
The 38-year-old, identified only as L.E., underwent an endoscopy to have the sea creature removed after relaxing by the sea on November 18 in the UAE.
‘I was on the beach when I suddenly realised that something went inside my ear. I couldn’t figure out what it was. All I could feel was that it was annoying. But never had I thought that it would be a crab,’ the patient told Gulf News.
After failing to diagnose the cause of the discomfort, which soon became an excruciating pain, he rushed himself to hospital.
The 38-year-old, identified only as L.E., underwent an endoscopy to have the crab (pictured) removed from his ear after he went sunbathing on November 18
‘It was found that it was a live baby crab that had entered into the right ear canal,’ Dr Prabir Paul said.
The ear canal had become swollen and tightly packed around the crab.
An endoscope, a small optical tube, was inserted into his ear so that doctors could remove the little beast without damaging the ear.
Dr Paul said the patient had been very fortunate not to have suffered a damaged ear.
In a statement L.E. said: ‘I was very worried when the doctor told me that a baby crab had gone inside my ear. I was afraid that my organ would be damaged.
‘But I am grateful to the doctor for his swift action. His confidence and kindness really helped to calm me down.’
Earlier this year a patient discovered a cockroach in her ear in Vietnam and suffered similar agonising pain.
Video showed the doctor using an endoscope to find the insect and remove it.
Philip Robinson, an otologist at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust and president of the British Society of Otology, previously spoke to MailOnline about the dangers posed by creepy crawlies in ears.
He told MailOnline in October: ‘I have only had to remove an insect once in 30 years in ENT [Ear Nose Throat].
Disgusting footage captured the moment a woman had a cockroach removed from her ear in Vietnam in October
The cockroach was still alive in the ear but was stuck. Pictured, dead after removal
‘It is thought that a combination of the hairs in the entrance to the ear canal and the wax lining the skin serves as a barrier and deterrent to insects and indeed debris getting inside.
‘The ear canal actually has its own clearance system, although that is damaged in people who use cotton buds, but would normally transport any dust, debris out form the depths of the ear canal to the outside world over a week or two.
‘However, live insects can get trapped and there are reports of people having spiders walking over their eardrums causing a drumming sensation.’