Doctors performed a rare operation in a bid to repair a man's bladder after it ruptured, as he held in his urine for 18 hours while drunk. Hu had fallen asleep after drinking more than 10 beers one evening

A man was taken to hospital after his bladder exploded when he held in his urine for 18 hours following a boozy session.

The 40-year-old drank more than 10 bottles of beer in one night and fell asleep without going to the bathroom when he woke up in excruciating pain.

The man, identified by his surname Hu, was admitted into Zhuji City People's Hospital of Urology in China after sweating and turning pale, reports Weixin.

He had slept throughout the day and when he woke up at 7pm the next evening, his abdomen was aching – this is when his family rushed him to the hospital.

The deputy chief physician of the Department of Urology, Zhu Lingfei explained Hu could not even lie on his back after his abdominal muscles became tight and painful to touch.

Even upon trying, he was unable to urinate due to the pain which led to several failed attempts.

After a CT scan, it was revealed the man's bladder had "exploded" and caused a rupture – he was taken for an emergency operation in a fight to repair the bladder as quickly as possible.

According to medics, alcohol can suppress the nerve centre which dulls the feeling of urination.

Once full with urine, this, combined with the bladder being surrounded by fat and bone can lead to the wall becoming thinner which may cause a rupture.

According to the NHS, a normal bladder in a healthy adult can comfortably hold a pint (500ml) of urine and should be emptied every three to four hours.

"You should be urinating every four to six hours. If you're always holding your pee in for too long, there are consequences,” Dr Lauren Streicher said.

Lauren added: "Pelvic floor muscles contract in a coordinated fashion to help you either release pee or hold it.

"But if you're continually holding urine, you can end up with some real dysfunction of your pelvic floor muscles."