Nightmare: Israeli doctor removes live cockroach from woman’s ear

“It’s something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy,” said Dr. Jay Wohlgelernter, the surgeon who removed the cockroach

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

A live cockroach crawled into a woman’s ear and became trapped, forcing her to seek medical attention at a hospital in central Israel, The Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.

The woman, who is in her 70s, sought help at Laniado Medical Center in Netanya, a coastal city some 18 miles (30 kilometers) north of Tel Aviv. She complained of strange sensations and irritation in her ear, as well as a tingling feeling and loud noise.

“Once every few years, I get a call in the middle of the night with a complaint and terrifying screams from patients that an insect got into their ears,” Dr. Jay Wohlgelernter, the ENT specialist who removed the cockroach, told the Post.

“Sometimes they behave as if they were having a psychotic attack. When an insect settles on the eardrum, it produces a very loud noise, along with a severe itching, tickling, tingling sensation. It is simply unbearable.”

The doctor explained that the standard procedure for removing insects from ears involves pouring an anesthetic solution into the ear canal, which kills the intruder. But that treatment option wasn’t possible for this patient, as she told medical staff that she has a sensitivity to anesthetics.

“In this case,” Wohlgelernter explained, “a woman came to me from the emergency room with a complaint that about four days ago, an insect entered her ear, and despite the situation, she managed to remain calm. I have no idea how. Had she not been so calm, I doubt very much if I would have been able to get the bug out of the ear without anesthesia.”

The doctor inserted a tiny camera into the woman’s ear, where he identified the live cockroach. On his first try, he was able to pull it out using a device similar to tweezers.

“It’s something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy,” he added. “I am happy that I was able to pull the bug out of her ear, and I wish her good health.”

Israeli medical careLaniado Medical Center