In a truly bizarre medical mishap, a Japanese woman undergoing routine laser surgery ended up with burns on her leg—caused not by equipment malfunction, but reportedly by her own flatulence.
The incident took place at Tokyo Medical University Hospital during what was meant to be a simple laser procedure to treat a uterine condition.
While the surgery was underway, the woman—believed to be in her 30s—passed gas. What followed was anything but routine: a sudden burst of fire.
An internal investigation later revealed that the gas released from the patient’s intestines likely ignited when it came into contact with the laser beam.
The resulting flame quickly spread, setting fire to the surgical drapes and causing burns to the patient’s leg.
The hospital’s report noted, “Gases emitted from the patient`s intestines ignited due to laser irradiation, causing flames that spread and burned the patient’s lower body.” The situation escalated so unexpectedly that even the surgical team was caught off guard.
As news of the incident surfaced, it quickly gained traction online, with many people reacting in disbelief.
“This sounds like something out of a cartoon, not a hospital,” commented one stunned observer. Others compared it to scenes from slapstick animations or satirical TV shows.
Medical professionals, however, emphasized the extreme rarity of such an event. Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician from Lenox Hill Hospital, noted that while the incident is highly unusual, other factors might have contributed.
He suggested that alcohol-based antiseptics, if not allowed to dry properly before surgery, could also increase the risk of fire.
The hospital, meanwhile, maintains that all surgical equipment was functioning correctly and placed the blame squarely on the “unexpected intestinal gas.”
While some saw the humor in the oddity, others found it alarming. “The idea that a simple bodily function could cause this kind of harm is truly unsettling,” said one concerned reader.
Still, many online commenters couldn’t help but joke, “In the future, maybe fasting won’t be enough—patients will need to come in with completely empty stomachs!”
