Chinese woman swallows raw fish gallbladder, hoping to relieve headache, ends up in ICU

A woman from eastern China ended up in the intensive care unit (ICU) hours after swallowing a raw fish gallbladder, believing it would cure her headache.\nThe 50-year-old woman, surnamed Liu, from Jiangsu province, adhered to the folk remedy that claimed raw fish gallbladders could clear heat, detoxify the body, and alleviate a persistent migraine that had been troubling her.\nOn the morning of December 14, Liu bought a 2.5kg grass carp at the market, extracted the gallbladder at home, and swallowed it raw.\n\nJust two hours later, she began experiencing vomiting, diarrhoea, and stomach pain. Her family quickly took her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with fish gallbladder poisoning and acute hepatic failure.\nShe was promptly transferred to the ICU at the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University.\nThe medical team provided her with plasma exchange treatment and continuous renal replacement therapy, a slow blood purification method.\nFive days later, Liu’s condition improved, and she was discharged from the hospital.\nThe case was reported by the hospital on January 7.\nDoctor Hu Zhenkui stated that fish gallbladder is “even more toxic than arsenic.” He explained that only a few grams can be enough to poison a person, and gallbladders from fish weighing 5kg or more could be fatal.\n\nHe noted that the gallbladders contain toxins that can damage the liver and kidneys, potentially leading to acute liver failure and kidney failure. In severe cases, these toxins can cause shock, cerebral haemorrhage and even death.\nHu further cautioned that fish gallbladders, whether cooked or soaked in liquor – practices some believe enhance their nutritional value – remain toxic.\nThe hospital also advised individuals not to trust superstitious folk remedies.\nLiu is not alone; there have been many cases of hospitalisation due to the consumption of raw fish gallbladders.\nPatients have reported believing that this organ could help clear heat, improve eyesight and detoxify the liver.\nSome even think that the gallbladder’s bitterness indicates its medicinal effectiveness.\n\nIn one case from central China’s Hubei province, a woman suffered from diarrhoea for three days after consuming a raw fish gallbladder, convinced it was a sign that her heat was being cleared.\nBy the time she sought medical help, serious damage had already occurred to her liver and kidneys.\n“This is not health maintenance but suicide,” remarked one online observer.\n“Always trust in medical advice from doctors rather than folk remedies,” advised another.\n“My mum fed me raw fish gallbladders several times when I was a kid. I’m fortunate to be alive today,” shared a third.\n