New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS): In probably a rare operation, doctors at Sri Ganga Ram hospital in Delhi removed as many as 53 stones from the salivary duct and gland of a 66-year-old Iraqi patient.

The stones were removed after a two-hour-long operation in the last week of September, using a basket and forceps without any cut in the body, according to the hospital. The lady was suffering from recurrent attacks of pain and swelling of the right sided parotid gland after having food or drink.

It was later diagnosed that the patient had multiple stones in her parotid duct with the largest stone being about 8 mm in size stuck midway between origin and end of the duct, a statement issued by the hospital said.

"In her country though, doctors suggested her of going through a radical procedure of removal of parotid gland which would inevitably leave an unsightly scar on the face and in all likelihood leave her face paralysed," the statement.

The patient whose identity was not revealed by the hospital was ailing for at least two years, and was referred to Sir Ganga Ram hospital for Sialendoscopy, which is a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of saliva stones.

"This kind of surgery uses extremely narrow endoscopes to diagnose and treat many conditions of the salivary glands," a doctor at the hospital said.

According to Varun Rai, ENT Consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, "The biggest challenge was to remove all the stones without causing any injury to the gland or 3 mm wide duct."

"After extensive review of worldwide literature a single parotid gland having more than 25 stones within the parotid duct is not previously reported," Rai added.

After the surgery, the patient was sent home and now doctors are claiming that she is fully cured and is allowed to have her choice of food.