A case of punctured wounds in the oral cavity by sperm-bags of squid

Abstract

A 57-year-old woman experienced pain from foreign bodies in her oral cavity after eating raw squid. Examination of her oral cavity revealed 20-30 small foreign bodies embedded in the mucous membrane. After all the foreign bodies were pulled out, the pain was allayed and the wounds eventually healed. The foreign bodies, 5mm in length, were white and of elongated conical shape. Under microscopy, a large number of sperms was observed in the bodies. These foreign bodies were determined to be sperm-bags of the squid. It is supposed that this woman ate squid with spermatophores, thereafter sperm-bags were discharged from the spermatophores into her oral cavity. Although only a few similar cases heretofore have been found, it might increase among the Japanese who frequently eat raw squid.