Doctors in Brazil have removed a 15-centimetre fishing spear from a man's brain.

Emerson de Oliveira Abreu was diving off the coast of Rio de Janeiro when he was accidently shot by a friend.

Doctor Manoel Moreira said the object was so deep in Abreu's head only the very tip was showing and it took five hours of high-risk surgery to remove the sharp instrument.

Fortunately the spear - which entered the head just above the left eye - missed the most critical areas of his brain and Moreira says Abreu is not likely to suffer any major, lasting damage.