After two failed interventions in his hometown, Mr. K.B. (70 years old, Cambodian) was transferred to FV Hospital in critical condition: obstructive jaundice, severe infection, and a stuck lithotripsy instrument in the bile duct. The major surgery lasted five hours and successfully removed the 12mm gallstone and lithotripsy instrument from the patient’s body.
Gallstone surgery failed, “foreign object“ lodged in the bile duct
Mr. K.B. showed signs of the flu, including loss of appetite and bloating. However, just two days later, his whole body turned yellow, and his stomach was distended. A CT scan at a hospital in Cambodia revealed gallstones in the bile duct and a biliary tract infection, requiring emergency surgery.
Due to the complex nature of the infection, doctors were unable to remove the gallbladder endoscopically, so they had to switch to open surgery. However, the open surgery was also unsuccessful. Over the next few days, the patient underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to remove gallstones from the common bile duct. Because the stone was so hard, the lithotripsy instrument became stuck and jammed in the common bile duct, making it impossible to retrieve. After two interventions, the stone remained untreated, and the bile duct obstruction worsened, exacerbating the biliary tract infection.
According to Dr. Phan Van Thai, Head of the General Surgery Department at FV Hospital, Mr. K.B.’s case posed a major challenge. The patient had just undergone open surgery 13 days prior, so it was not suitable for a repeat surgery too soon. However, the infection was becoming critical because the stone and lithotripsy instrument remained lodged in the common bile duct and had not been removed, forcing doctors to intervene urgently. “Normally, we would avoid re-operating too early on an old, inflamed, and adhesively damaged incision, but in this case, there was no other option; surgery was necessary to save the patient”, Dr. Thai shared.
Five hours to remove gallstones and foreign objects from the patient’s body
During the major surgery, Dr. Thai had to meticulously dissect each layer of tissue, moving the scalpel millimeter by millimeter to expose the bile ducts so as not to damage nearby organs. According to Dr. Thai, the walls of the gallbladder and bile ducts are thick, rigid, and tightly attached to the colon, duodenum, and hepatic hilum, almost like a “block of concrete”. The dissection is therefore extremely difficult; even a small mistake can cause perforation or tearing of the surrounding organ. In addition, the adhesions from the previous surgery scar further complicated the operation.
After a grueling 5-hour surgery, the team successfully removed a 12mm stone and retrieved the stuck lithotripsy instrument from the patient’s body. The gallbladder was then safely removed without damaging nearby organs, and the inflamed areas were thoroughly treated.
The patient continues to receive intensive post-operative monitoring and care. Two weeks after surgery, bile regulation and food digestion recovered to near-normal levels, and the patient was discharged from the hospital. “My current health has recovered well. I felt the professionalism of Dr. Thai and the FV medical team throughout my treatment process. I am truly grateful to everyone,” Mr. K.B. emotionally shared during his follow-up appointment in early February 2026.
How does gallbladder removal affect digestion?
The gallbladder plays a role in storing and regulating bile secreted by the liver, helping the body digest fats more efficiently. Even after gallbladder removal, the liver continues to produce bile normally. The difference is that bile flows directly down the small intestine instead of being temporarily stored in the gallbladder before being secreted after eating.
According to Dr. Thai, bile regulation may be slightly disrupted during the initial post-operative period. However, with proper care and diet, the body can fully adapt after a few weeks to a few months. Gallstones and common bile duct stones are common digestive disorders. For common bile duct stones, most cases require intervention to remove the stone, either via ERCP or surgery such as open surgery, laparoscopic surgery, or robot-assisted surgery with da Vinci Xi.
At FV, Dr. Thai has extensive experience in the surgical treatment of abdominal diseases, including gallstones and gastrointestinal diseases. He has earned the trust of both colleagues and patients thanks to his expertise and dedication to patient care.
To learn about the gallstone treatment methods implemented at the General Surgery Department of FV Hospital, readers can contact the department directly at 06 Nguyen Luong Bang Street, Tan My Ward (formerly District 7), Ho Chi Minh City, or call 028 3511 3333.
