Prevalence of Cholelithiasis and Choledocholithiasis in Morbidly Obese South Indian Patients and the Further Development of Biliary Calculus Disease After Sleeve Gastrectomy, Gastric Bypass and Mini Gastric Bypass.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of the prevalance of cholelithiasis, choledocholithiasis and there management after sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass and mini gastric bypass in Indian bariatric patients.

METHODS: We did a retrospective analysis of our bariatric patient from January 2007 to December 2013 (n = 1397), for prevalence of cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis. We did synchronous cholecystectomy in all patients planned for bariatric surgery found to have cholelithiasis on USG. Post-operatively, we followed all the patients with gallbladder in situ for minimum of 18-88 months (mean -32.4) and reviewed data for subsequent development of cholelithiasis/choledocholithiasis. Only those patients who were symptomatic underwent intervention.

RESULTS: Prevalence of cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis in our study was 21.76 and 9.63 %, respectively. The incidence of post-bariatric surgery development of cholelithiasis was 10.53 %; individually, it was 8.42 % in LSG group, 13.4 % in LRYGB group and 12.7 % in MGB patients. The incidence of symptomatic cholelithiasis requiring surgery was 1.94 % after LSG, 4.54 % after LRYGB and 4.25 % after MGB. Post-surgery, six patients developed choledocholithiasis. In our post-bariatric group, the 33 patients who developed symptomatic stones had percentage total weight loss of 30.99 + 4.1 (P < 0.001). The average time period for readmission of symptomatic patient was 11.26 + 2.67 months.

CONCLUSIONS: We recommend routine synchronous cholecystectomy with bariatric procedure. In spite of synchronous cholecystectomy, incidence of cholelithiasis in our post-bariatric patient is 10.53 % of which up to one third were symptomatic and required surgery, and incidence of choledocholithiasis is comparable to that of general population.