Anil Barala Swallows Live Fish Into Lung In India

Anil Barela probably won't be craving seafood anytime soon. That's what happens from swallowing a live fish and getting it caught in your lung.

Barela, 12, inhaled the fish, which the Telegraph described as about 3.5 inches long and "scaly," as part of a youthful prank while standing beside a river in his home state of Madya Pradesh, India. However, instead of sailing to his stomach, the sea creature got caught in his lung.

After Barela's oxygen levels plummeted, he began struggling for breath and went to medics for relief, The Sun reported.

Doctors performed a 45-minute surgery to allow Barela to breathe easily again.

Dr. Pramod Jhawar, a chest specialist and bronchoscope expert said that it was the first case of its kind he had come across in 20 years -- and that the fish put up a great fight.

"The fish was live and taking its last breath when the bronchoscopy was done, restricting the functioning of both the lungs resulting in low intake of oxygen," Jhawar said.

Swallowing a live fish is unusual, but there is a long tradition of people ingesting weird items.

Back in December, doctors removed a pen from a 76-year-old British woman that she had swallowed 25 years earlier -- and it still worked.