Written By: Prerna Mittra | Updated : November 30, 2023 3:42 PM IST
Representational image/Freepik
Earlier this month, as many as 345 gallstones were removed from a 51-year-old woman's body via a laparoscopic cholecystectomy conducted by surgeons at Bengaluru's Aster RV Hospital. According to Mayo Clinic, cholecystectomy is usually done by inserting a tiny video camera and tools through several small incisions to see the inside of the abdomen and to remove the gallbladder, a process which is known as 'laparoscopic cholecystectomy'. In certain cases, one large incision may be used to remove the gallbladder. In this particular patient's case, the laparoscopic cholecystectomy had to be conducted with precision despite the challenges posed by a "hugely distended" gallbladder with the numerous stones that were to be extracted.
The surgery was led by Dr Girish, lead consultant, general and GI surgery at Aster RV Hospital. The doctor said the patient had been asymptomatic for the last 10 years, but had developed abdominal pain recently. An ultrasound revealed cholelithiasis with mild cholecystitis (hardened deposits of digestive fluid that form in the gallbladder). "She underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia. Though it was a hugely-distended gallbladder containing so many stones, we could extract all the stones and gallbladder through a tiny 1 cm incision without extending the incision. This was extremely challenging in terms of manipulating the huge gallbladder during laparoscopic surgery and extraction through keyholes without spillage," the doctor was quoted as saying in a press release.
According to the doctor, normally, between 2 and 100 gallstones are removed during a surgery. In this one, a successful extraction of such a significant number of stones from a distended gallbladder was "a rare feat". "This surgery presented unique challenges, particularly due to the size of the gallbladder and the multitude of stones. Our focus was on meticulous handling and extraction to ensure a successful outcome. The perioperative period was normal, and the patient is now on her way to a smooth recovery," said Dr Shivaprasad Giliyar Srinivasa, consultant general and GI surgery, Aster RV Hospital.
Gallstone disease is most common among the patients who visit gastrointestinal outpatient departments, said the doctors. It is seen that 10 to 15 per cent of people are found to have gallstones; of them, only 20 per cent are symptomatic and 80 per cent do not have any symptoms. Further, only 3 to 5 per cent of patients undergo surgery, and the rest end up with complications.
Gallstones are more commonly seen in females, possibly because of high levels of estrogen that may raise the level of cholesterol in the bile -- the trigger for gallstone formation.
According to Mayo Clinic, cholecystectomy is recommended by doctors when:
