In India a man for 2 months was swallowing knives. Doctors removed 40 of them surgically from his stomach. "He had a wild desire to consume the metal. Even for us, experienced surgeons, it was scary," said Dr. Malhotra Jatinder.

"We were so nervous, a little error could cost a patient's life. Over my 20 years of practice, I've never seen anything like it." Malhotra said that he gathered his team about two days to form a plan of diagnosis and surgery. A 5-hour surgery took place on Friday in the Northern Indian city of Amritsar. Malhotra said they found folding knives, which when open was about seven inches long.

The patient said he swallowed several knives folded and some unfolded. "When we took out the knives. Some of them were found folded, some of them were opened, and some of them even started to rust and were defeated," said Malhotra.

42-year-old father of two said he now felt much better. "I will be forever grateful to the doctors and hospital staff for saving my life," he said. The doctor said that the patient is now out of danger and can be discharged in a few days. But he wasn't released from hospital until it is checked by the psychiatrists.

"I don't know why I used to swallow knives," the patient said. "I just enjoyed it taste and I'm addicted ... as people get used to alcohol and other things, my situation was similar."
Malhotra believes the patient has a very rare mental disorder that is not published in any international medical journal. The patient is currently under the constant supervision of psychiatrists and soon will be visited by independent experts in the field of mental health.
sections: Society, World News, Accidents