A 63-year-old Florida man experienced a terrifying medical emergency while eating breakfast with his wife, after a simultaneous cough and sneeze caused his surgical wound to burst open—forcing part of his intestines outside his body.

Sudden Pain and a Shocking Discovery

The man had undergone abdominal surgery two weeks earlier as part of his recovery from prostate cancer. Doctors had examined the incision that very morning and declared it healed enough to remove his stitches.

But shortly after arriving at a diner to celebrate, he felt a sudden wet sensation followed by sharp abdominal pain. When he lifted his shirt, he saw several inches of bowel protruding from his wound.

His wife immediately called 911. Paramedics arrived within minutes and found a three-inch opening in his abdomen with large amounts of intestine visible. The injury, known as abdominal evisceration, occurs when a surgical incision reopens and internal organs slip through.

Emergency Treatment and Fast Thinking

Although the paramedic had never seen such an injury before, she knew the exposed organs needed to stay moist. She covered them with sterile saline and wrapped the man’s abdomen before rushing him to the hospital.

Surgeons were able to safely return the bowel to the abdominal cavity. They then reinforced the wound using multiple layers of sutures, specialized closure techniques, and surgical staples.

The man recovered in the hospital for six days and experienced no further complications. His case was documented in the American Journal of Medical Case Reports.

A Rare but Serious Surgical Complication

Wound dehiscence affects up to 3% of abdominal surgery patients and is more common in older adults. Severe cases like this can be life-threatening. Experts say coughing or sudden pressure on the abdomen is a major trigger.

Thankfully, this patient survived without permanent injury—and doctors hope his case raises awareness about this rare postoperative risk.