A man was forced to undergo radical surgery to have a live fish removed from his intestine.

Graphic footage shows the man from Londrina, Brazil, having an operation to remove a South American lungfish from his body.

In the horrific clip, a surgeon pulls out the eel-like fish, known to grow up to a length of 125 cm (4.10 ft), which had apparently burrowed into the man's body.

Scroll down for video

A man was forced to have surgery to have a live South American lungfish removed from his intestines

It can be seen being taken from his abdomen and wrapped in a cloth.

Miraculously, the fish was still very much alive when it was removed - and can be seen wriggling around.

One report suggests it was 2ft long, although this has not been verified.

The creature later had to be euthanised, according to the Brazilian news website esmeraldanoticias.com.

The unidentified man, who has recovered from the operation, has since made a formal complaint after staff at Hospital Universitário (University Hospital) in Londrina filmed the surgery.

The video of him and the fish, known locally as a piramboia, has become a viral sensation after it was posted on the website LiveLeak.

During the operation, doctors can be heard laughing as the wriggling fish is surgically removed and one is heard to say: 'This one is for the history', while another adds: 'I have just sent the pic by mail.'

Women can be heard laughing and cheering.

The fish, which can grow up to 125 cm (4.10 ft) in length, was still very much alive when surgeons pulled it out

THE SOUTH AMERICAN LUNGFISH The South American Lungfish can apparently exist in areas with very little oxygen and its typical environment is swampland and slow-moving waters. It is native to the moving waters of the Amazon, Paraguay and lower Parana River basins in South America. Its other names include the American mudfish and scaly salamanderfish, though it is known more commonly in Portugese as piramboia. The young lungfish is spotted with gold on a black background, and this fades to a brown or grey colour when it grows to its adult size. The species has an elongated, almost eel-like body which can grow to a length of 125 cm (4.10 ft). Advertisement

News reports suggest Nádina Moreno, dean of the university, has now banned the use of cell phones inside the surgical centres as a result.

In unusual and different cases, procedures are sometimes recorded without the patient being identifiable for educational purposes and for later discussion, but this should always be approved, she is reported to have said.

An inquiry investigating those responsible for recording the operation without the patient's authorisation has been launched.

Several people have were summoned to give explanations, including the physician responsible for the surgery.

Allegedly, the punishment could be a warning, suspension or even immediate dismissal.

The news comes after a man in China's southeastern Guangdong province also underwent surgery to remove a live eel from his intestines last year.

A doctor at the Shunde People's Hospital posted a photo of a one kilogram eel that was surgically removed from a patient's guts. The eel was reportedly over 50cm long.

The 39-year-old man, refused to elaborate on how an aquatic animal ended up swimming around inside him.