Jamshedpur on Tuesday took a giant stride in the field of technology-driven advanced healthcare when a 60-year-old woman from Rourkela underwent a sophisticated kidney stone removal process with the help of one of the most modern laser machines.

Jharkhand's first operation using the 100-Watt holmium laser machine, a state-of-the-art equipment that is used by hospitals in metros, took place at Bistupur's Kantilal Gandhi Memorial Hospital (KGMH) that is managed by Calcutta's Medica group of hospitals.

Patient Sanjharia Devi, who underwent the surgery for around one and a half hours from 9.30am, was able to walk within four hours without worrying about the nagging pain in her lower abdomen that was caused by a stone in her left kidney.

'I had been suffering from lower abdominal and back pain for more two months and had gone for treatment to a nursing home in Rourkela, But they referred me to KGMH Hospital in Jamshedpur. Seeing my age, the doctors advised laser surgery. I don't feel any pain at the moment and will be going home on Wednesday. There are no stitches,' said Sanjharia, wife of Ramdev Singh, a retired employee of South Eastern Railway traffic unit and resident of Bandamunda near Rourkela.

The 100-Watt holmium laser machine, costing nearly a crore, was installed at KGMH on January 7, the same day as Tata Main Hospital.

While Tata Main Hospital is yet to use it, KGMH did the first operation successfully on Tuesday under the aegis of a team of doctors, comprising hospital medical superintendent A.S. Jungbahadur, head of urology department D.K. Mishra and anaesthetist Dhaval Patel.

'This is the most preferred laser process worldwide for all urological applications (kidney, prostrate, bladder and urethral strictures surgeries) and does not require suture. The incision is done through a pin hole and there is less pain. It does not require blood transfusion and hospital stay is for a day. Even patients with cardiac problems and on anti-coagulant (blood thinner medications) can also undergo this process safely,' said urologist Mishra.

The operation cost Sanjharia around Rs 50,000 while the conventional PCNL (percutaneous nephrolithotomy) would have taken between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000.

'We will be performing almost all urology operations with this laser technology from now on,' Mishra said.