Woman in China has 806 gallstones removed in one operation

  • Ms Fan, in her 60s, said she ate two to three pieces of fatty pork belly every day
  • She was taken to the hospital in central China after suffering sharp stomach pain
  • Doctor was shocked to find 806 stones of different sizes in her gallbladder
  • The gallstones are mainly formed by cholesterol and could be a result of her diet

A middle-aged woman has reportedly had 806 gallstones removed from her body in one operation at a hospital in central China. 

Her doctors believed the patient’s greasy diet could have been a cause for the stones, which were of different sizes.

The woman, surnamed Fan, said she liked meat and would two to three pieces of fatty pork belly every day.

Doctors in China were shocked when they removed 806 gallstones (pictured) from Ms Fan

Ms Fan suffered sharp pain in her stomach and was taken to the hospital recently

Ms Fan suffered sharp pain in her stomach and was taken to the hospital recently

WHAT ARE GALLSTONES?

Gallstones are small stones, usually made of cholesterol, that form in the gallbladder. 

The cystic duct is the main opening of the gallbladder.

Gallstones are very common, affecting about 1 in 10 adults in the UK. 

They don’t usually cause symptoms, but they can occasionally cause episodes of pain (biliary colic) or acute cholecystitis.

 

Ms Fan, who was reported to be in her 60s, claimed that she felt sharp pain in the stomach about two weeks ago, according to Huanqiu.com, an affiliation to People’s Daily Online.

She was taken to Wuhan Jing Du Department of Urology Hospital in Hebei Province by her family for a check-up.

Dr Shen Zhangyi, a specialist in gallstones and liver stones, discovered that Ms Fan’s gallbladder was completely blocked by the tiny stones.

‘The gallbladder failed to function as the gallstones had filled up the sac, causing it fail to shrink,’ said Dr Shen told a reporter. 

Dr Shen performed a surgical operation, known as cholecystectomy, to remove 806 gallstones from Ms Fan’s gallbladder.

The gallstones were found to be of different sizes; while some were as small as beans, others were as big as longan fruit.

Dr Shen Zhangyi said the gallstones had already blocked the patient's gallbladder

Dr Shen Zhangyi said the gallstones had already blocked the patient’s gallbladder

A test on the gallstones showed they were mainly made of cholesterol.

Ms Fan told the reporter that she would eat two to three pieces of palm-size fatty pork belly every day.

Dr Shen explained pork belly contained high level of cholesterol and an excess amount of fat could slow down a person’s metabolism.

Ms Fan is now recovering in the hospital.

Dr Shen suggested Ms Fan should keep a balanced diet and avoid food with high sugar and oil content. He also suggested the patient not skip breakfasts.

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