Doctors remove 300 kidney stones from Taiwanese woman with fondness for bubble tea
Over 300 stones were removed from a 20-year-old woman’s kidneys in Taiwan after she was admitted to the hospital with a fever and severe back pain.
Doctors discovered Xiao Yu had swollen kidneys with stones through ultrasound. They performed the surgery to remove the stones which resembled “small steamed buns”.
The Chi Mei Medical Centre in the city of Tainan said on its website that the CT scan indicated that the stones measured between 5mm and 2cm, and the accompanying blood test revealed an increased white blood cell count.
Doctors say kidney stones can be caused by various factors, including genetic predisposition, chronic illnesses, and diets rich in calcium and protein.
The urologist from the hospital, Dr Lim Chye-yang, mentioned that kidney stone cases were more common in spring and summer due to dehydration from the hot weather. As a result of reduced fluid intake, urine becomes more concentrated, causing minerals to amalgamate and crystallise into stones.
Dr Lim, who performed the surgery, said 9.6 per cent of the people in Taiwan may develop kidney stones in their lifetime. Ms Xiao had a preference for bubble tea over water and did not enjoy drinking water, according to media reports.
Men are reportedly more than three times as likely to develop stones than women. Dr Lim also said that kidney stones are usually found in people between 50 and 60 years of age.
The patient’s condition is reportedly stable after the surgery and has been discharged from the hospital.
Additional reporting with agencies
