22-05-2025
In Rare Surgery, Doctors Unburden 70-Year-Old Gurugram Man Of 8,000 Gallstones
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An ultrasound led to the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, an infection of the gallbladder, with additional complications like gangrene, pus formation, and signs of chronic disease
In a major medical accomplishment, doctors at a private hospital in Gurugram said on Thursday that they had surgically removed over 8,000 stones from the abdomen of an elderly man—possibly the third highest number of gallstones ever extracted in India.
The 70-year-old Gurugram-based patient was admitted to Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI), complaining of persistent abdominal pain, irregular fever, loss of appetite, and weakness, along with a feeling of heaviness in the chest and back that had persisted for more than four years.
Like many elderly patients, he was reluctant to seek treatment and visit a doctor despite months of abdominal discomfort. However, when his condition deteriorated due to increased and uncontrollable pain, his family rushed him to the hospital. Upon admission, an ultrasound of the abdomen revealed a densely packed gallbladder.
'The ultrasound led to the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, which is an infection of the gallbladder, with additional complications like gangrene, pus formation, and signs of long-standing chronic disease," Dr Amit Javed, senior director, gastrointestinal oncology, who led the team of doctors to perform the gallstone removal surgery, told News18.
1 hour for surgery, 5 hours for counting stones
Looking at the condition, the team of doctors immediately performed 'minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery" to remove the massive number of gallstones visible on ultrasound. While the surgery was completed in an hour, it took almost five hours for the team to count the stones.
'While laparoscopic gallbladder removal is a routine procedure, this case was exceptional due to the massive number of stones," Javed said while sharing that 'the surgery itself took only one hour. However, it took six hours to perform the post-surgery task of manually counting the stones. The support team spent this time meticulously sorting and counting all 8,125 stones to document this rare occurrence."
The patient was discharged in a stable condition within two days, the hospital said.
In 2015, a team of doctors in Kolkata set a record by removing 11,950 gallstones from a 51-year-old woman's gallbladder—an achievement that was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records. In another notable case that occurred in 2016 at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, surgeons extracted 11,816 gallstones from a 46-year-old man.
Why and how does such a condition develop?
The key challenge for doctors was to avoid puncturing the gallbladder during the surgery, as doing so could have released thousands of stones into the abdomen, complicating the surgery and increasing the risk of infection or further complications.
'What sets this case apart is the exceptionally high number of stones removed. Most gallstones are composed of cholesterol and are often linked to obesity and high-cholesterol diets," Javed explained.
However, he said, 'The exact cause of the collection of these many stones is not known but may be related to being overweight, underlying diabetes, and long-standing disease. The patient was symptomatic for the last four to five years. The gallstones may have been present much before symptoms started."
The key takeaway, Javed believes, is the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment. 'Delaying care for gallbladder-related symptoms can lead to serious and complex complications, some of which can be life-threatening. People should not ignore persistent abdominal discomfort and should seek medical attention promptly. Maintaining a healthy diet and weight can also reduce the risk of gallstone formation."
First Published:
May 22, 2025, 21:13 IST
