Sharad Pawar undergoes endoscopy for stone removal

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has undergone an emergency endoscopy for the removal of a stone from his bile duct and his condition is improving, a doctor attending to him at a hospital in Mumbai said on Wednesday.

Pawar, 80, was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital on Tuesday after he experienced abdominal pain. He underwent the endoscopy at around 10 pm, the doctor said.

Under the medical procedure, an endoscope is used to examine the interior of a hollow organ or body cavity.

"There were some stones in his gall bladder and one of it had slipped into his bile duct, blocking the flow. It caused Pawar immense belly pains, back pain and jaundice due to gall stone pancreatitis," gastroenterologist and endoscopy expert Dr Amit Maydeo told PTI.

The doctor said he performed the endoscopy on Pawar and removed the stone.

"It showed better results. His condition is improving," Dr Maydeo said.

He said once Pawar starts feeling better, they may take the next step of removal of the gall bladder to avoid such a condition in future.

"It seems there are more than one stone in the gall bladder now and it is better to remove it completely," the doctor said.

Pawar would remain hospitalised for next three to four days and would be discharged after a check-up, he said.

Earlier, after Pawar complained of abdominal pain on Sunday, he was taken to the hospital for a check-up the same evening, NCP leader Nawab Malik had said.

However, he was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday evening, a day ahead of the scheduled surgery for a gall bladder issue, after he experienced pain in the abdomen, he said.