Bullet In Woman's Skull Taken Out After 48 Years Of Living With It

Miraculous: Mrs Zhao, 62, successfully underwent surgery to remove a bullet lodged in her skull for 48 years without her knowledge

A Chinese woman has undergone surgery to remove a bullet lodged in her skull for 48 years without her knowledge.

The 62-year-old woman, identified only by her surname Zhao, went to doctors after suffering from constant headaches, a blocked nose and swollen lymph nodes for more than 10 years.

Doctors then discovered she has a bullet 2.5cm long and 0.5cm wide buried in her skull and managed to extract it during surgery at the First Hospital of China Medical University in north east China.

The bullet, which was 2.5cm long and 0.5cm wide, is believed to have hit Mrs Zhao in the temple before embedding in her nose over time

Mrs. Zhao, 62, from Liaoning province, told local press: "I am happy that the bullet did not kill me, I am grateful to it for allowing me to live and have the opportunity of my life with my family."

There are conflicting reports about when Mrs. Zhao realised she had been hit by a stray bullet, according to News.com.au.

Want China Times reports that she was hit on her right temple when she was 14 years-old but just believed it to be a stone.

But the Shanghaiist quotes Mrs. Zhao as saying she knew she was hit by a stray bullet as a child but only felt minor pain so decided to leave it.

Doctors believe she only survived because the bullet turned and eventually lodged in her nose and avoided damaging the brain.