Ahmed Ali (55) from Raigad had been admitted to the hospital in July with a ruptured ulcer in the small intestine which had infected the abdominal cavity, said Dr O P Rohandia, associate professor of surgery who performed the operation. As per conventional treatment, the ruptured intestine was sutured twice but each time the sutures gave way leading to further infection. Repeated suturing is generally ineffective and the patient dies of infection, explained Dr Rohandia.

The surgeon then decided to use the patient's gall bladder as a cap over the festering ulcer as the gall bladder is a dispensible organ and is close to the small intestine, he explained.

Dr Rohandia said the gall bladder was punctured before manovevering it over the ruptured ulcer and the two were sutured together. There were no post-operative complications, he said.

He also saidthe technique, the first of its kind in world, can be used on patients who have similiar conditions.