Abu Dhabi: An Indian expatriate in Abu Dhabi, who had nearly 40 stones blocking his ureter, has had the obstruction removed without a single incision.
Following the minimally invasive procedure, Balkar Singh, a 27-year-old carpenter, is now free from the pain that had been troubling him for more than a year.
First symptoms
“I started getting pain in the lower portion of my stomach about a year ago. At that time, I was in India and did not consider it seriously. Later, when the pain aggravated, I went to a doctor in my hometown who told me I had to undergo surgery. But I was planning to come to Abu Dhabi at that time, so I postponed the surgery and took medication to control the pain,” Singh said.
Singh joined a construction company in Abu Dhabi after arriving in the capital. In the beginning, he experienced intermittent pain but found it to be manageable.
“A few months later, my condition worsened, and the pills no longer helped,” Singh said. On the advice of a friend, he then visited Lifecare Hospital for a consult, and was seen by Dr Althaf Hussain, a specialist urologist at the hospital.
Multiple stones detected
A detailed investigation, with an x-ray and an ultrasound, found that he had developed multiple stones blocking his ureter, ranging from eight to 22 millimetres in size.
Dr Hussain then opted to remove the stones by first breaking them with laser therapy.
“After breaking them, it would be possible to remove them through the bladder without making any incision on the body. The blocked ureter can also be opened by inserting a stent,” the doctor explained.
Choice of surgery
“Surgeons often prefer an open surgery to remove the stones. But it involves multiple risks of incurring injuries to the bladder and vessels. Recovery also takes a longer time,” he added.
The doctor said that Singh had been facing a rare set of complications.
“The patient has a rare congenital disorder of dilated lower ureter, called ureterocele, which causes swelling of the ureter. But in this case, he had an even rarer condition of a swollen ureter blocked by multiple stones.”
Successful procedure
Following the two-and-a-half hour procedure, Singh was discharged the next day.
“Being a doctor, it is our responsibility to offer the best care to our patients. It means quicker recovery and maximum comfort. I had explained the procedure in detail to Singh, and he also chose to undergo the laser therapy,” Dr Hussain said.
Singh said he now experiences no pain, and has expressed his gratitude to the medical care team at Lifecare.
