EMERSON DE OLIVEIRA ABREU: THE MODERN DAY PHINEAS GAGE!!

Emerson de Oliveira Abreu, from Rio de Janeiro, was underwater fishing off the coast of Rio de Janeiro when he fired a 15 centimetre spear.

But instead of hitting it's intended target, his spear bounced off some rocks and pierced his own head. Mr Abreu described feeling "a sharp pain" when the spear pierced his head.

The spear entered above his left eye and embedded itself in his skull as the images from his CAT scan incredibly show.

"I couldn't believe what I saw. He was conscious when he came out of the water. He was holding the spear and speaking to everybody," said Mr Abreu's fishing partner Douglas Martin.

Mr Abreu was hurried to the hospital, where he endured a five-hour operation. According to doctors, the spear just missed the most critical areas of Mr Abreu's brain.

"I think the only side effect he should expect from this injury is maybe having his sense of smell a bit impaired," said surgeon Manoel Moreira.

"It's a miracle," said Mr Abreu's aunt, Dilene Moreira. "Only God can explain what happened."

Three days after doctors surgically removed the spear from his brain, Mr Abreu said "never more" would he get back into the water to fish with spears!

Mr Abreu is in a stable condition and expected to be released from hospital in 10 days time.

PHOTO: RICARDO MORAES