When a gastroenterologist ventures into the human colon, there are certain things they’re prepared to see—tumors, polyps, ulcers, or remnants of the digestive process. But in 2019, a clinical team documented a far more unusual sighting: a ladybug. Yes, you read that right—inside the colon of a 59-year-old man from Columbia.
This bizarre discovery was published in the ACG Case Reports Journal, revealing how even the most routine medical procedure can sometimes produce the unexpected.
The Colonoscopy: A Glimpse Into the Body’s Inner Workings
For those unfamiliar, a colonoscopy is a crucial procedure in modern medicine, allowing doctors to closely examine the colon for early signs of disease. A camera is inserted into the body, traversing the length of the large intestine in search of abnormalities. While this procedure is often life-saving, it’s not without its discomforts, especially when preparing the body for inspection.
The success of a colonoscopy relies heavily on a clean colon, and this requires patients to endure a strict regimen of laxatives. The 59-year-old man in question had undergone this grueling process, drinking a gallon of polyethylene glycol, a powerful laxative designed to cleanse the colon.