Docs remove gallstones from liver

MANGALORE: A J Hospital and Research Centre has successfully treated a 28-year-old patient suffering from a case of primary hepatolithiasis, which is the presence of gallstones in the biliary ducts of the liver. Treatment is usually surgical. The patient, a woman from Murdeshwar in Uttara Kannada district was suffering from recurrent pain in the abdomen with on and off fever since the last 10 years with occasional vomiting.She was treated for the above symptoms by generalpractitioners and was later referred to a higher institution for furthertreatment. Ashok Hegde, consultant surgeon of the hospital advised CT scan andblood investigations. Reports revealed that she was suffering from primaryhepatolithiasis. It is generally known that people suffer from gall bladderstones, kidney stones but isolated presence of stones inside the liver tissue isnot very common. The exact cause of this disease is speculative withmost common theories like unhygienic food habits and parasitic infestation.Though there are conservative treatment options available, wherein the patientis likely to come back with the recurrence, the best treatment option isresection of liver. She underwent left-sided liver resection on February 3 withclearance of all intrahepatic stones. Ashok Hegde and his teamperformed the surgery. Post-operative period was uneventful. The follow-up scanshowed no residual stones or a diseased liver. This is a rare and first of itskind liver resection done for intrahepatic stones in this region.