Abu Dhabi: 50 stones removed from 75-year-old grandfather’s bladder

Doctors in Abu Dhabi have brought a smile back on the face of a 75-year-old Yemeni grandfather after removing 50 stones measuring up to 3.5cm from his bladder.

Father to 12 children and grandfather to 60 grandsons, Mohammed Sulaiman Abdullah, led a happy family life in Yemen. However, he struggled with persistent abdominal pain and faced difficulty urinating for over a year. But he ignored his health and did not consult a doctor.

A UAE resident from 1973 till a few years ago, Abdullah returned to visit his son in Abu Dhabi last December. It was then that his pain aggravated, and he couldn’t urinate.

He visited a hospital, where a catheter was placed in his bladder to empty the urine. He was told that an enlarged prostate and several bladder stones complicated his case. He continued using the catheter for over two months until the family took him to Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

After the imaging tests confirmed his condition, Abdullah underwent a complex set of surgeries - prostatectomy, cystolithotomy and cystotomy - to remove 50 stones ranging 8mm to 3.5cm in size during an hour-long procedure.

“I never thought that the minor pain would progress to become a complicated condition. I neglected the pain believing that it was because of my old age. But when I developed urine retention, I was left with a catheter for more than two months. When the doctor told me I had to undergo surgery, I became despondent,” Abdullah said.

However, having spent years in Abu Dhabi, Abdullah was confident about the healthcare system in the capital.

“Dr Manaf Al Hashimi was exceptionally helpful. He explained my condition and the procedure clearly. My family and I were convinced and chose to proceed with the procedure immediately,” Abdullah added.

Dr Al Hashimi, hospital’s consultant urologist, said Abdullah had long-standing obstructive urinary symptoms because of the enlarged prostate.

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“He did not seek any medical advice or treatment in his home country, Yemen, until the enlarged prostate had blocked the urine passage and resulted in incomplete emptying of urine. This gradually precipitated into multiple stones and ended up with complete retention of urine, after which he was treated with a catheter in another hospital. By the time he reached Burjeel Hospital seeking help, it had become worse as the catheter was left for more than two months. Surgery was the only possible option.”

Dr Al Hashimi noted Abdullah responded well to the treatment and recovered quickly to be discharged four days after the surgery.

“People must undergo regular check-ups of the prostate to avoid complications such as bladder stones,” Dr Al Hashimi added.

• Abu Dhabi