10-Year-Old's Gallbladder Removed in Rare Gov't Hospital Surgery

Doctors at Thoothukudi Government Medical College and Hospital successfully treated a 10-year-old girl suffering from acute stomach pain, jaundice, and gallstones. The patient, originally from a village near Pudukottai, initially presented with severe discomfort. Investigations revealed stones in her gallbladder and bile duct.

Paediatric surgeon T. Muthukumaran performed a procedure to remove the stones and placed a stent in the bile duct to ensure bile flow. The girl later returned with pain, leading to a laparoscopic cholecystectomy to remove her gallbladder. This minimally invasive surgery, performed free of cost, is notable as it's the first of its kind at a government medical college hospital in southern Tamil Nadu for a patient her age. Doctors cited potential causes such as poor food habits and obesity.