Front Page

A record he is not quite proud of

Staff Reporter

The certificate provided by the Guinness authorities

NEW DELHI: Afraid to go under the knife after being detected with a stone in his left kidney, 36-year-old Mumbai police constable Vilas Ghuge waited for 18 long years before he decided to give up medicines, injections and prayers that he had stuck to for relief.

Having endured much physical pain, he decided last year that the kidney stone just had to go. And in the process this young resident of Mahim in Mumbai set a world record.

And while he is not exactly proud of this one, it has firmly placed Indian surgeons on the world map for having successfully removed the largest kidney stone measuring 13 cm at the widest point without open surgery.

Marathon procedure

Having applied and finally received Guinness World Records certificate last month after waiting for nearly a year, the credit for conducting the marathon procedure on Vilas has been bagged by R. G. Stone Urological Research Institute in Mumbai. This entry will now figure in the 2007 edition of Guinness World Records.

Announcing the feat here on Tuesday, Executive Director of R. G. Stone Urological Research Institute, Hanish Bansal, said: "The patient came to us in Mumbai way back in early 2004 with the stone and doctors were certain that it had to be removed. On February 18, 2004, Vilas endured a four-hour procedure where we introduced laser through minimal invasive technique and broke the stone into small pieces, enabling the body to flush it out. What we used for Vilas was Holmium Laser-Platinum Standard popularly known as HOLEP, which is the latest technology available worldwide to treat diseases including enlarged prostate cancer."

A week's recuperation

Since the size of the stone was large, Mr. Bansal said Vilas had to sit through two other follow up sessions and was kept under observation to detect any reformation of the stone. "He was also told to immediately inform us about any discomfort," he said.

And with the procedure while Vilas escaped going under the knife, he had to stay in the hospital recuperating for about a week.

"I first reported with the problem way back in 1986 and was told that the stone will have to be removed through open surgery, which I did not want to undergo. I stuck to taking medicines, injections and regular check-ups. But in 2004, the discomfort and pain became unbearable and I checked into the hospital where they assured me that the procedure would not require open surgery. I know about the Guinness World Record and am happy. But I would advise people not to delay taking treatment for any ailment. Today, I feel fighting fit," said Vilas.

Speaking about the challenges that the team of doctors performing the procedure faced, Mr. Bansal said: "The size of the stone itself was a challenge and we were certain that the patient was happiest without open surgery. We were also not sure how the body would react to the procedure, which added to the risk factor. Vilas now needs constant monitoring and we are happy with the progress he has made."

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu