India (Commonwealth Union)_ A team of expert urologists from Kasturba Hospital in Manipal, Karnataka, successfully removed the largest vesical calculus from a female patient. The bladder stone, which was occupying the whole bladder, was considered to be the largest in the world. A 60-year-old woman with complaints of dysuria, frequency, and urgency for six years and was undergoing treatment for each cycle of her symptoms for urinary tract infections underwent this surgery.
Diagnosis is difficult, particularly in rural regions that have limited access to diagnostic equipment and other healthcare services such as ultrasound and X-ray. Following the clinical diagnosis at Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, the hospital revealed a firm, palpable stone in the suprapubic area. A plain CT showed a substantial hyperdense shadow across the whole urinary bladder.
After the test results, a team of doctors, including Dr. Anshuman, Dr. Kasi Vishwanath, Dr. Nisha, Dr. Vivek Pai, and Dr. Krsihna, under the supervision of Dr. Padmaraj Hegde, Professor of Urology and Deputy Medical Superintendent, performed an open cystolithotomy and successfully removed a calculus measuring 11.5 x 7.5 cm and weighing 672 grams. The patient was discharged the following day.
“Here we report a case of giant vesical calculus weighing 672 grams in an otherwise healthy adult female. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest vesical calculus in a female patient that has been reported to date in the world. The largest bladder stone reported in the literature so far was from KEM Hospital, Mumbai, and it weighed 528 grams,” a statement issued by the hospital read. Dr. Anand Venugopal, Chief Operating Officer, Teaching Hospital, MAHE, Manipal, and Dr. Avinash Shetty, Medical Superintendent, appreciated the entire team for the successful completion of the extremely unusual and complicated surgery.
