Doctors At Preeti Urology Save Woman’s Kidneys With 9-Hour Marathon Surgery

Ureteral damage caused after hysterectomy three years ago

Ureters completely damaged from top to bottom

Reconstructed using keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery by Dr. V. Chandramohan’s team

Such a procedure previously done only in China – First time in India

Doctors at Preeti Urology, led by Managing Director and Consultant Urologist Dr. V. Chandramohan, successfully saved the kidneys of a 52-year-old woman through a complex 9.5-hour laparoscopic surgery — a rare medical feat. In a press conference held at Taj Deccan Hotel, Dr. Chandramohan shared details of the case.

The woman had undergone a hysterectomy three years ago. Following the procedure, she developed complications due to infection or other unknown causes, which led to the complete deterioration of both ureters — the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. This rare condition caused recurring infections, elevated creatinine levels, and declining kidney function. While temporary stents were being used earlier, the issue progressively worsened.

Upon detailed evaluation at Preeti Urology, it was discovered that the woman’s ureters were entirely damaged along a 35 cm stretch, leaving only the renal pelvis (upper end near the kidneys) intact. “This is an extremely rare scenario. Globally, only nine such cases have been treated, and never before in India,” said Dr. Chandramohan.

Complex Keyhole Surgery with 13 Incisions

“Typically, laparoscopic surgeries require only 3 small incisions. But in this case, due to the complexity and the need for multiple angles, we made 13 keyhole incisions. Since the ureters were completely damaged and narrowed, they were non-functional. We had to take two 35 cm segments from the patient’s small intestine, reconstruct them into ureters, and connect them from the kidneys to the bladder on both sides,” Dr. Chandramohan explained.

The entire procedure took 9.5 hours. Post-surgery, the patient is able to walk, her creatinine levels have returned to normal, and kidney function has stabilized.

First of its Kind in India

“This is the first time in India that both ureters have been replaced using a complete laparoscopic approach. Previously, similar surgeries have only been done in China, where nine such cases were handled with an average surgery time of six hours. In India, although similar conditions have been addressed before, they were performed as open surgeries. This is the first successful bilateral ureteral reconstruction using keyhole technique,” Dr. Chandramohan emphasized.

He added that such surgeries require not only advanced equipment but also highly skilled surgeons with expertise in ureteral reconstruction — something Preeti Urology is well-equipped for.