A retired soldier from Sri Lanka has set two world records for having the biggest and heaviest kidney stone in the world.

Record-Breaking Solid Mass

The urological team from the Army Hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka, identified a colossal kidney stone from 62-year-old Canistus Coonghe. On June 1, army surgeon Dr. Kugadas Sutharshan performed the medical procedure called pyelolithotomy. It involves the surgical removal of stone through an incision made in the renal pelvis.

According to the Guinness World Record, the 800-g mass which measures 5 inches long and 4 inches wide is almost the same as an eight-week-old kitten. Its size is also comparable to a loaf of bread or a nig box of cereal.

The previous record holder for the world's heaviest kidney stone weighing 616g was set by Pakistani Wazir Muhammad in 2008. Meanwhile, the longest kidney stone measuring 5.11 inches was removed from an Indian man named Vilas Ghuge in 2004.

Doctors were surprised that even the right kidney was lodged by the solid mass, his kidney, gall bladder, and other vital organs are still working fine.The onion-looking humongous 800-g mass removed during the operation was even bigger than his actual kidney. Doctors did not describe if the solid mass caused him pain, but even small ones can cause agonizing pain

READ ALSO: Man Suffered 'Two Months of Intermittent Pain' Due to Massive Stuck Kidney Stone; Know the Science Behind Nephrolithiasis


How Are Kidney Stones Developed?

According to Mayo Clinic, kidney stones refer to the hard deposits formed inside a person's kidney. Also known as renal calculi or urolithiasis, kidney stones are made up of salts and minerals like calcium. Almost one in ten people develop kidney stones at some point in their lifetime. However, white men in their 30s and 40s have higher chances of getting kidney stones.

Since there are different types of kidney stones, the specific cause of this condition depends on whether it is a calcium stone, oxalate, cystine stones, or uric acid stones. They may be formed due to different factors such as excess body weight and taking medication or health supplements.

Other possible causes include too much or too little exercise, drinking too little water, and diet composed of too much salt or sugar. Infections and family health history are also risk factors in developing this solid mass.

Eating too much fructose is also linked to this medical condition. To prevent the risk of developing kidney stones, a person should drink plenty of water. A good indicator that an individual is well-hydrated is urine that is pale in color.

Kidney stones are usually as small as a pebble and can be excreted through the urine. Once the kidney stone passes down from the kidneys to the bladder, pain is experienced as it travels through the ureters.

Some of the options in dealing with this condition is the use of painkillers or conservative treatment where the solid mass is left in the course of nature. Other options include surgical removal or breaking them apart into smaller fragments with high-frequency shock waves. The treatment method depends on the size of the kidney stone and their position inside the patient's body.

 

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