Doctors at a hospital in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, have removed a 3.1kg bladder stone from a 55-year-old man, which they claim is the largest of its kind on record. The stone weighed as much as a full-term baby and was around the size of an ostrich egg. According to Dr Prahalahan Balakrishnan, who led the surgery, the patient had been carrying the stone for about five to 10 years. This would be a significant increase over the previous Guinness World Record holder, which weighed 1.9kg in 2003.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
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Story summary
Doctors at a hospital in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka removed a 3.1kg (6.8lb) bladder stone from a 55-year-old man, which they believe is the largest on record. The patient had been admitted to the hospital after suffering a stroke and was found to have stones in his urinary bladder while receiving treatment. During surgery, doctors removed the massive stone, which weighed as much as a full-term baby and was around the size of an ostrich egg. Dr Prahalahan Balakrishnan, who led the surgery, stated that according to available records, this is the largest bladder stone ever documented and removed through surgery. The patient remains at the hospital for further treatment, but Dr Balakrishnan noted that he was in "very good health".
Written for “Largest Bladder Stone Removal” on 2026-08-31,
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Doctors in Sri Lanka have removed a 3.1kg (6.8lb) bladder stone from a man - which they believe to be the largest of its kind on record.
The procedure was carried out last week at a hospital in Trincomalee, in the east of the country.
The 55-year-old patient had been admitted to hospital after suffering a stroke.
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patient → publish → stroke
But while receiving treatment, doctors found stones in his urinary bladder after noticing that he was experiencing difficulty urinating.
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he → receive → difficulty
During surgery, doctors removed the bladder stone - it weighed as much as a full-term baby and was around the size of an ostrich egg.
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it → remove → egg
"According to available records, it is the largest bladder stone ever documented and removed through surgery," Dr Prahalahan Balakrishnan, who led the surgery, told BBC Sinhala.
uncertain
who → accord → Sinhala
He added that the patient was in "very good health".
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patient → add → health
The patient remains at the hospital and is continuing to receive treatment for his other medical conditions, doctors said.
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doctors → remain → conditions
Dr Balakrishnan added the stone would have been in the patient's bladder for about five to 10 years.
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stone → add → years
Bladder stones are formed when minerals in the urine crystallise, turning into solid lumps.
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minerals → form → lumps
They commonly occur when the bladder does not empty completely, leaving concentrated urine that can turn into crystals.
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that → occur → crystals
Small bladder stones, sized like grains of sand, can pass on their own.
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stones → size → own
But stones bigger than 1cm often block urine flow and require medical intervention.
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stones → block → intervention
A bladder stone that is larger than 4cm is considered giant.
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that → consider → cm
According to the Guinness World Records, the largest bladder stone was removed from a patient in Brazil in 2003.
uncertain
stone → accord → 2003
It weighed 1.9kg (4.2lb) and had a length of 17.9cm (7in).
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It → weigh → cm
The bladder stone removed in Sri Lanka last week measured around 17cm-long.
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stone → remove → 17cm
