[Shaun]

X-ray of the victim here, but still quite gross even without flesh/blood

Spoiler:

A Brazilian construction worker has survived after a 2m (six-foot) steel rod fell from above and pierced his head, doctors who treated him say.

Eduardo Leite was taken to a Rio de Janeiro hospital, where the rod was removed after five hours of surgery.

The doctors said he responded well to surgery, suffered no adverse consequences and has experienced little pain.

He narrowly escaped partial paralysis and loss of an eye, they added.

The rod is said to have fallen from the fifth floor of a building under construction.

It pierced Mr Leite's hard hat, then the back of his skull, before exiting between his eyes.

Luis Alexandre Essinger, chief of staff at the Miguel Couto hospital, said Mr Leite was conscious when he arrived there and explained what had happened to him.

"He was taken to the operating room, his skull was opened, they examined the brain and the surgeon decided to pull the metal bar out from the front in the same direction it entered the brain," he said.

Mr Leite had "few complaints" after the surgery, Mr Essinger added, saying "it really was a miracle" that he survived.

Neurosurgeon Ruy Monteiro told local TV that the bar had entered a part of the brain with no specific major known function.

The victim is expected to stay in hospital for another two weeks, and will be given antibiotics to avoid risk of infection.

[Tom4784]

What insane luck. It boggles the mind how someone could survive something like that.

[lostalex]

Americans are made of tougher stuff. 6 ft. poles?? pshh, we laugh at 6 ft. poles.

[MTVN]

[Marc]

What does he look like now though?

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by Marc

What does he look like now though?

didn't you see the pic? click the spoiler button, it gives you a pretty good idea.

[Marc]

I saw the picture, but I was just wondering what his actualy face now looks like with it removed

[Marc]

I remember once in the news some woman or man.. .. survived a knife to the head and it was like all the way into their skull. Surely you just die or have mental disabilities afterward

I reckon more people should stab in the head and not in the heart.

[lostalex]

I dunno, you'd have to stab someone pretty hard to break through the skull. I don't think the normal person could break through the skull with a knife.

[Kizzy]

Reminds me of something similar i read, a guy called Phineas Gage got a similar injury and lived but it changed his personality completely.

[swinearefine]

Why does this happen all the time

[Redway]

Goodness me.

[Josy]

[Novo]

Originally Posted by swinearefine

Why does this happen all the time

Probably seems like it happens a lot because everytime something like this happens and the person survives it makes for great news.. the people that actually die don't get articles like this