A 55-year-old man in Sri Lanka has had a 3.1kg (6.8lb) bladder stone removed by surgeons in a remarkable operation doctors believe could represent a world record.
The huge stone was removed last week at a hospital in Trincomalee after doctors discovered it while treating the man following a stroke.
Doctors became concerned when they noticed he was struggling to urinate. Further examinations revealed stones inside his bladder, leading to surgery to remove the unusually large mass.
The stone weighed about the same as a full-term baby and measured approximately 17cm long—roughly the size of an ostrich egg.
Dr Pragalathan Balakrishnan, who led the operation, told BBC Sinhala that, based on available records, the stone appeared to be the largest bladder stone ever documented and surgically removed.
Despite the extraordinary size of the stone, doctors said the patient was in “very good health” after the operation. He remains in hospital while continuing treatment for his other medical conditions.
Dr Balakrishnan believes the stone may have been growing inside the man’s bladder for five to 10 years.
What causes bladder stones?
Bladder stones form when minerals in urine crystallise and gradually harden into solid masses.
They are particularly common when the bladder cannot empty properly, leaving concentrated urine behind. Over time, the minerals can form crystals that grow into stones.
Small stones can sometimes pass naturally, but larger stones can obstruct urine flow and require medical intervention. Stones larger than 4cm are generally classified as giant bladder stones.
The Guinness World Records lists a 1.9kg bladder stone removed in Brazil in 2003 as the largest on record. It measured 17.9cm in length.
The Sri Lankan stone was slightly shorter at around 17cm, but at 3.1kg, it was considerably heavier.
If the measurements and circumstances are officially verified, doctors say the Sri Lankan case could potentially surpass the existing record.