Malawi woman found with 22 stones in her stomach
In a bizarre turn of events comes a true life story of a Malawian woman who has been found with 22 stones in her stomach, Nyasa Times understands.
The incident happened to Estere Kumbweza of Chilemba village in the area of Traditional Authority Chilikumwendo in Dedza District a few days ago.
Shock gripped one of the country’s major referral hospitals when news spread like bush fire that doctors at the Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in the capital, Lilongwe, had found stones in the woman’s stomach.
The victim had been living and working normally without knowing she was carrying a collection of stones inside her stomach until the doctor informed her about the condition.
Kumbweza was not pregnant and visited the health facility to seek medical help for a complete different ailment after being referred there by doctors at Dedza District Hospital.
“I never knew about this condition all along. I came here after being beaten by a rabid dog at home. First, I visited our hospital [Dedza District] and it was doctors there who referred me here,” explained the woman.
“After arriving here, I met Dr Arturo Muyco, who upon x-raying me discovered that I was carrying stones in my stomach.”
The “mysterious” stones, together weighing about one kilogram, are mostly round in shape and smooth, according to eye witnesses.
But Dr Muyco, a Senior Surgical Specialist at KCH, said it was not strange for the stones to be found in the woman’s stomach as they resulted from infections in her artificial bladder.
In 1998, Kumbweza is reported to have had pregnancy complications which resulted in fistula and, ironically, Dr Muyco was the one who conducted surgical procedures on her for an artificial bladder.
Medically speaking, Dr Muyco said the stones in the woman’s stomach were created by an accumulation of urinary salts in her body.
The senior surgical specialist said this was as a result of infections because of poor care of her previously created artificial bladder due to fistula.
“A surgical procedure like the one she underwent in 1998 requires frequent checkup,” said Dr Muyco.
Unfortunately, since the 1998 operation Kumbweza and the doctor lost track of each other until the recent incident.
The operation to remove the strange stones went well and the woman is now getting better.
“I thank God for serving my life, I never knew I had this condition but God kept me strong throughout,” said the woman whose life appears to have been full of trials.
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