Over 1,500 stones removed from woman’s gallbladder

Nearly 1500 stones have been removed from a woman’s gallbladder at a private hospital in Delhi.  A 32-year-old woman, who was suffering from persistent bloating and heaviness after eating junk and fatty foods, had her gallbladder removed which contained nearly 1500 stones, said Dr Manish K. Gupta, Vice Chairperson and Senior Consultant, Laparoscopic and General Surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

The woman had also been self-medicating for what she believed to be gas. She also experienced recurrent episodes of right upper abdominal pain radiating to her back and shoulder, often accompanied by nausea and vomiting, he added.

After a thorough evaluation, the patient was scheduled for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a minimally invasive procedure to remove the gallbladder and stones.

“During her surgery (on Saturday), 10 mm and 5 mm incisions were made in her abdomen to facilitate the removal of the gallbladder,” Dr Gupta said. Despite the extensive number of stones, the patient was discharged the day after surgery, able to eat a normal diet and move around independently.

Dr Gupta emphasised the importance of timely intervention, noting that small stones can migrate into the common bile duct (CBD), causing jaundice and pancreatitis, while large stones can lead to chronic irritation and potentially gallbladder cancer if left untreated.