A Vietnamese woman, who has had a history of mental health problems, has managed to stay alive after swallowing 119 rusty nails.

After having complained of a stomachache, the 43-year-old woman was rushed to a local hospital only to have doctors find that she had swallowed what they thought were strange objects in her stomach.

According to IOL.com, Dr Tran Van Nam says: "After having her stomach X-rayed and scanned, we found a stack of strange objects and decided to operate as soon as possible."

During surgery, doctors removed 119 nails, each about 3 inches long.

It is believed that the nails could have been sitting in the woman's stomach for months, yet miraculously she managed to avoid any major injuries.

"Her life is not at risk now, and she is recovering," said Dr. Tran Van Nam, adding the patient was expected to be discharged soon.