Iron Man antics: China blast victim tries to remove metal shards from leg like superhero, bemuses mainland social media

A man in China who tried to emulate the Iron Man superhero character by removing metal shards embedded in his thigh using a magnet has entertained many people on social media.

The actions of the superhero impersonator, surnamed Jiang, came to light on June 23 in the aftermath of an industrial explosion in Wuhan, Hubei province, in central China.

The blast sent shards of metal flying, some of which became embedded in Jiang’s thigh, causing sharp pain and leaving clearly visible holes in his flesh.

To the surprise of onlookers, Jiang did not go directly to hospital.

Inspired by a scene in the first Iron Man film, in which the lead character Tony Stark uses an “electromagnet” to extract shrapnel, Jiang tried a similar method with a strong magnet.

However, even in the world of fiction, the character ultimately undergoes surgery.

Predictably, Jiang’s attempt to mimic the superhero failed.

His solution only resulted in more pain, eventually forcing him to seek emergency treatment at Wuhan Puren Hospital.

A microsurgery team successfully removed four metal fragments and repaired the damaged muscles, ligaments and nerves.

Peng Hanshu, the director of the hospital’s hand and foot microsurgery department, warned people against copying Jiang.

He said using a magnet to remove metal is unlikely to be successful and could cause additional injuries.

“In such accidents, do not blindly try to handle it yourself. It is recommended to immediately seek medical attention at a proper healthcare facility,” Peng told Jimu News.

Jiang’s attempts at being a superhero caused much amusement on mainland social media.

“If this method worked, hospitals would be out of business,” one online observer said.

“The human body is not like cardboard or wood. The flesh closes and heals itself. It’s not going to stay open for you to use a magnet. Watching too many TV shows can confuse reality,” said another.

“Is the entry and exit path the same? If not, using this method, you are basically running the metal through your leg in different directions,” someone else said.

“Such a ‘medical genius’. But a wise man can be ruined by his own wisdom,” said a fourth person, using a traditional Chinese saying. – South China Morning Post