[Sportschosun] Sri Lankan medical staff have shocked observers after removing a massive 3.1-kilogram stone from a man's bladder.
The stone was roughly the same weight as a newborn baby. Based on currently available records, doctors said it could be the largest bladder stone ever documented in the world.
According to BBC and other foreign media reports, a 55-year-old man recently visited a hospital in Trincomalee, in eastern Sri Lanka, for treatment after suffering a stroke.
During treatment for the stroke, doctors found that the patient was having trouble urinating properly. After further tests, they discovered a large number of stones in his bladder.
The stone removed during surgery weighed about 3.1 kilograms. It measured about 17 centimeters in length, similar in size to an ostrich egg.
The surgeon said, "Based on current records, it appears to be the largest bladder stone ever removed through surgery."
Doctors estimated that the stone may have slowly grown inside the patient's bladder over the past five to 10 years.
Fortunately, the surgery was successful, and the patient is reported to be in good condition.
Bladder stones form when minerals in urine crystallize. If the bladder cannot empty completely, urine remains inside and becomes concentrated, allowing crystals to form and gradually grow.
Small bladder stones can be as tiny as grains of sand and may pass naturally with urine. However, larger stones can block urine flow or cause urination problems.
Patients with bladder stones may feel pain when urinating or need to urinate frequently. They may also experience blood in the urine or a sudden interruption in urine flow. If the stone grows larger, it can block the bladder outlet and lead to urinary retention.
According to Guinness World Records, the official world's largest bladder stone was removed from a 62-year-old man in São Paulo, Brazil, on Aug. 25, 2003. It weighed 1.9 kilograms and measured 17.9 centimeters.
Reporter Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
