A strange and somewhat hilarious incident involving a man named Jiang from Wuhan, Hubei province, has been making waves on Chinese social media. Following an industrial explosion on June 23, Jiang found himself with metal shards embedded in his thigh. Instead of heading directly to a hospital, Jiang took a page from Tony Stark's book from the first "Iron Man" movie, where Tony Stark uses a magnet shrapnel device to remove shrapnel from his chest.

Inspired by this fictional scene, Jiang attempted to use a strong magnet to pull the metal fragments from his flesh. Unfortunately, the real-world application of this superhero technique did not go as smoothly as in the movies. The magnet failed to remove the shards, causing Jiang even more pain, and forcing him to seek medical attention.

magnet shrapnel
Image Source: Britannica

At Wuhan Puren Hospital, a team of microsurgeons led by Dr. Peng Hanshu successfully removed four metal fragments from Jiang's thigh and repaired the ruptured muscles, ligaments, and nerves. Dr. Peng used the incident to warn others against attempting similar DIY medical procedures. "Using a magnet to remove metal shards is unlikely to be successful and could cause additional injuries," he stated. "In such accidents, do not blindly try to handle it yourself. It is recommended to immediately seek medical attention at a proper healthcare facility."

Jiang's daring, yet ill-advised, effort to mimic Iron Man quickly became a topic of amusement on social media. One user quipped, "If this method worked, hospitals would be out of business." Another commented, "The human body is not like cardboard or wood. The flesh closes and heals itself. It is not going to stay open for you to use a magnet. Watching too many TV shows can confuse reality."

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