Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad, successfully removed more than 4,000 gallstones from a 41-year-old man using advanced minimally invasive techniques, marking one of the highest reported stone counts in the city. The patient presented with a high-risk clinical profile, including morbid obesity and multiple comorbidities such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, and Acute Kidney Injury, which had significantly impacted his overall health. The multidisciplinary team led by Dr. B.D. Pathak, Senior Director, GI, Minimal Access and Bariatric Surgery at Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad, successfully performed the laparoscopic surgery which was completed in just 45 minutes under general anaesthesia.
The patient presented to the hospital with excruciating abdominal pain that had progressively worsened over seven days, accompanied by nausea and severe indigestion. Diagnostic imaging revealed a severely inflamed gallbladder tightly packed with thousands of microscopic gallstones and thick biliary sludge. Immediate surgery was crucial as the sheer volume of over 4,000 stones placed the patient at high risk of acute infection, gallbladder rupture, bile duct obstruction, and other life-threatening complications.
Inspite of the complexity of the case, the surgical team successfully removed the gallbladder along with more than 4,000 gallstones through a minimally invasive laparoscopic approach. Following a smooth post-operative recovery managed collaboratively by the surgical, nephrology and internal medicine teams, the patient's condition stabilised rapidly. He was discharged a few days later, walking independently and free from pain.
Giving details of the case, Dr. B.D. Pathak, Senior Director, GI, Minimal Access and Bariatric Surgery, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad said, "Operating on a patient with a BMI of 46 who is already battling acute kidney failure and requiring dialysis is an extraordinary clinical challenge. From a surgical standpoint, treating more than 4,000 gallstones requires extreme precision to prevent a rupture, which would have triggered widespread infection. Completing this highly complex laparoscopic procedure safely in just 45 minutes demonstrates how advanced minimal access surgery can dramatically lower surgical trauma, reduce anesthesia time, and save high-risk patients from life-threatening multi-organ complications."
Dr. Abhishek Sharma, Facility Director, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad said, "This extraordinary clinical milestone underscores Fortis Escorts Faridabad's capability to seamlessly manage the most intricate and high-risk medical emergencies. Successfully treating a patient with such severe, overlapping comorbidities required flawless, rapid coordination among our surgical, nephrology, critical care, and anesthesia teams.”
