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Woman Undergoes Surgery To Have Nearly 12,000 Gallstones Removed, Doctors Astonished

By Meaghan Ellis
Published on: 16:46 PST, Nov 27, 2015

A woman in Kolkata, West Bengal, in eastern India left doctors astonished after they discovered she had nearly 12,000 gallstones. According to the Daily Mail, 51-year-old Minati Mondal had been suffering from severe gallbladder attacks with excruciating stomach pain, abdominal pain, and acid reflux for more than two months.

Initially, the pain was bearable, but over time the woman’s pain became progressively worse. Two weeks ago, she underwent a number of exams at Debdoot Sevayan Hospital and was admitted after doctors made a shocking find. After Mondal underwent numerous exams and an ultrasound, doctors discovered that nearly 12,000 gallstones had formed inside Mondal’s gallbladder and were blocking her cystic duct. Needless to say, doctors were quite shocked about the rare occurrence.

During a recent interview, Dr. Makhan Lala Saha, one of the gastrointestinal endo-surgeons who treated Mondal at the hospital, recounted the examinations that led to the discovery of her 12,000 gallstones. In fact, Mondal’s 12,000 gallstones have set a record.

“I was astonished to see the large number of stones that we extracted from the gall bladder of this patient. I had never thought a gall bladder could contain so many stones. It took my assistants four hours to count the number of the stones that were between 2mm and 5mm in size. It took us 50 minutes to remove them.”

Based on statistics, Dr. Saha stated that 3,110 gallstones is the most he’d ever heard of removed from one gallbladder. However, the unprecedented number of gallstones Mondal had far exceed any amount he’s ever seen. The staggering number of gallstones reportedly took nearly an hour to remove. Dr. Saha also explained that the surgery was conducted laparoscopically. An incision the size of a keyhole was created so doctors could enter through the abdomen and pelvis.

“Two months ago, I had operated on a girl who had 1,110 stones but despite the shocking number, I found that in 1983, doctors in Britain had removed 3,110 stones from a German patient’s gall bladder. But I feel this number can replace the past record since the current number is three times more than the record.”

Gallbladder attacks can be extremely agonizing as the problem progresses. In many cases, gallbladder attacks, consist of constant pain that may be dull or severe and can last for several hours, and even days in some cases. Although most conditions have common and rare side effects, gallbladder attacks have a staggering number of symptoms that leave most patients feeling completely miserable.

Here is a list of gallbladder attack symptoms, according to Everyday Health:

  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Pain that may extend beneath the right shoulder blade or to the back
  • Pain that worsens after eating a meal, particularly fatty or greasy foods
  • Pain that feels dull, sharp, or crampy
  • Pain that increases when you breathe in deeply
  • Chest pain
  • Heartburn, indigestion, and excessive gas
  • A feeling of fullness in the abdomen
  • Vomiting, nausea, fever
  • Shaking with chills
  • Tenderness in the abdomen, particularly the right upper quadrant
  • Jaundice
  • Lighter color stools

Gallbladder attacks can also be triggered by a number of things. According to WebMD, fried foods, highly processed foods, dairy products, fatty red meat, and foods that are high in cholesterol can all lead to gallbladder attacks and discomfort. Many gallbladder attacks occur almost immediately after a meal. In many cases, vomiting and nausea are the first notable symptoms, but physical pain soon follows. If you believe you may be suffering from symptoms of an unhealthy gallbladder, you should seek medical attention immediately.

[Image via YouTube Screen Capture]

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