Now 80, This Woman Has Been Living With Needle In Brain Since Birth

On Wednesday, October 4, an elderly woman living in Russia's Far East discovered during a CT scan that she had been carrying a one-inch-long needle in her brain for a staggering 80 years.

Doctors suspect that the woman's parents probably tried to kill her, right after she was born, i.e., a failed attempt at infanticide when the needle got lodged in her brain and did not attempt to extract it due to her worsening health condition.

Further Details

In a statement issued by the regional health department in the remote Russian area of Sakhalin mentioned that incidents of this nature were not unusual during periods of famine. It is highly likely that the child's parents chose to carry out this act during World War II, as she had been living with the 3cm-long needle 'from birth.' This approach was frequently employed to conceal any evidence of the wrongdoing, the statement noted.

During the war, food scarcity was widespread throughout the Soviet Union, and a significant portion of the population lived in impoverished conditions.

In the case of the octagenarian, the 1.2-inch-long needle had penetrated her left parietal lobe, but it failed to achieve the intended outcome, as noted by health authorities.

Remarkably, the infant girl survived the attempted infanticide, and over the ensuing years and decades, she never experienced any headaches stemming from the needle lodged in her brain.

This foreign object was only detected this year when the unidentified resident of Sakhalin visited a clinic for a CT scan.

Medical professionals have opted against removing the needle from her brain due to concerns about potential harm to the patient. Local health officials have emphasized that the woman's well-being is not in jeopardy.

"Her condition is under the continuous care of her primary healthcare provider," the statement stated.

About Lady's Hometown

Sakhalin is an island located off the southeastern coast of mainland Russia, with a population of approximately 500,000 people. It is situated in the Sea of Okhotsk, to the north of Japan's Hokkaido.

It is the largest island in Russia and is known for its natural beauty, including mountains, forests, and coastlines. Sakhalin has a diverse population and is rich in natural resources, particularly oil and natural gas. It has a complex history, with periods of Japanese and Russian control, and it is currently part of the Russian Federation. 

Suggested Reading: Watch: 104-Year-Old Woman Skydives With Aim To Break World Record