First laser surgery to remove bladder stone without surgical cut on patient achieved at NRH with help of China medical team
BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
An operation to remove bladder stones without making a huge surgical cut on a patient was successful at the National Referral Hospital (NRH).
Ministry of Health and Medical services (MHMS) proudly announced this in its statement yesterday, highlighting that Solomon Islands now possesses the capability to carry out minimally invasive urinary stone treatments, marking a leap from traditional open surgery to modern minimally invasive technology.
The successful minimally invasive urological surgery, “holmium laser lithotripsy” was carried out at the China-aided NRH comprehensive medical centre by Dr Chen Xulong of the 4th China Medical Team and local surgeon, Dr Augustine Melly.
Cases of people having bladder stones in Solomon Islands is relatively high in men as well as in women and children.
MHMS said in the past, due to limited medical resources, most patients had to undergo open surgery to remove bladder stones — a procedure associated with large incisions, slow recovery, and high risk of complications, causing significant pain and burden for patients.
Holmium laser lithotripsy is currently the mainstream minimally invasive technique for treating urinary stones worldwide.
It allows the fragmentation and removal of bladder stones without opening the bladder, offering notable advantages such as minimal trauma, less bleeding, faster recovery, and reduced infection risk.
With the deepening of China–Solomon Islands medical cooperation, the China Medical Team introduced holmium laser technology to the country, providing local patients with a safer, more efficient, and less invasive treatment option.
The operation was jointly completed by Chinese and Solomon Islands doctors.
During the procedure, both teams worked closely together, engaging in in-depth communication and collaboration on equipment adjustment, energy setting, and lithotripsy techniques.
Dr Melly served as the lead surgeon, while Dr Chen provided technical support and shared professional experience.
The holmium laser device and laser fibers used in the procedure were purchased and delivered from China under the “China–Solomon Islands Urological Minimally Invasive Surgery Center Project”, providing strong hardware support for the successful operation.
Dr Melly and Nurse Densy had recently completed a three-month training programme at the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University in China under the same project. There, they systematically studied and practiced holmium laser and other minimally invasive urological techniques.
Upon returning home, and under the guidance of the Chinese medical team, they successfully completed this surgery — a milestone that demonstrates the localization and practical application of training results, and the positive cycle of “technical support – talent cultivation – results transformation” achieved through China–Solomon Islands medical cooperation.
After the surgery, the patient was transferred to the newly opened urology ward in the CMC for recovery.
The ward’s comfortable environment and advanced facilities provide patients with a safer, more convenient, and patient-centered medical experience.
MHMS said the patient recovered well after the operation and reported no significant discomfort.
Looking ahead, the China Medical Team will continue to assist local hospitals to expand the clinical application of holmium laser technology to include minimally invasive treatments for kidney stones, ureteral stones, and prostatic hyperplasia.
MHMS expressed that this is to help Solomon Islands’ urology services to achieve leapfrog development and enable more local patients to benefit from the achievements of modern medicine.
The health ministry noted that the new CMC is now fully operational, offering a comprehensive range of services including surgeries and inpatient care for specialist treatment. Patients in the Solomon Islands can now access advanced medical procedures and ongoing care close to home in a state-of-the-art facility.
Photo: MHMS
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