Editorial
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. May 7, 2010; 16(17): 2075-2079
Published online May 7, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i17.2075
Management of gallstones and gallbladder disease in patients undergoing gastric bypass
Bernabé M Quesada, Gustavo Kohan, Hernán E Roff, Carlos M Canullán, Luis T Chiappetta Porras
Bernabé M Quesada, Gustavo Kohan, Hernán E Roff, Carlos M Canullán, Luis T Chiappetta Porras, Department of Surgery, Cosme Argerich Hospital, Alte. Brown 240, ZC 1155 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally.
Correspondence to: Bernabé M Quesada, MD, Department of Surgery, Cosme Argerich Hospital, Alte. Brown 240, ZC 1155 Buenos Aires, Argentina. bmquesada@hotmail.com
Telephone: +54-114-1212925 Fax: +54-114-1212925
Received: January 5, 2010
Revised: February 14, 2010
Accepted: February 21, 2010
Published online: May 7, 2010
Abstract

The appropriate management of gallstones and gallbladder disease in patients undergoing gastric bypass remains unknown. Several therapeutic modalities are used and include performing cholecystectomy on all patients at the time of gastric bypass, performing concomitant cholecystectomy only when patients have gallstones and performing cholecystectomy only in the presence of both symptoms and gallstones. Some groups administer ursodeoxycholic acid for gallstone prevention in the postoperative period. All treatment modalities are analyzed and their results and rationality are discussed.

Keywords: Gallbladder, Gastric bypass, Morbid obesity, Gallstones, Cholecystectomy