Dubai: Largest gallstone in UAE removed from 52-year-old patient

Dubai - It was as big as an egg.

A 52-year-old patient recently underwent surgery at a Dubai hospital for the removal of what was believed to be the biggest gallstone ever recorded in the UAE.

After experiencing extreme abdominal pain for four days, the patient showed up at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai and doctors detected a rare case of gallstones.

The stone found in her gall bladder measured 7cm — about the size of an egg. Had it not been removed, it could have led to life-threatening complications.

“Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluids that can form in one’s gall bladder, differing in size and number. It is essential to treat gallstones, due to the high-risk conditions they may cause, including sepsis, infection of the gall bladder, and gall bladder cancer, all of which can be life-threatening,” said Dr Sabah Al Arnaout, general surgeon at the hospital.

Dr Arnaout, who specialises in laparoscopic procedures and gallstone surgeries, claimed that the gallstone was larger than average. Anything over 5cm is very rare, he said.

“The case of the patient was a rare and difficult one. The stone’s size made it very difficult to remove through keyhole surgery. The procedure done was minimally invasive which allowed the patient to have a quick recovery and a shorter hospital stay. I am extremely glad that everything went along smoothly, and my patient recovered effectively,” added Dr Arnaout.

Even the patient was shocked when she learnt about how big her gallstone was.

“It was also surprising to me that the whole thing was removed in one piece from my gallbladder, without the need for open surgery. Once the stone was removed, I no longer felt any pain and my stomach instantly felt lighter,” the relieved patient told Khaleej Times.

saman@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai