Hyperoxaluria After Bariatric Surgery

Patients with no history of kidney stones have a high prevalence of hyperoxaluria following bariatric surgery, researchers reported in The Journal of Urology (2009;181:161-166).

The study included 58 non-stone-forming adults, of whom 52 underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Ysurgery and six had a biliopancreatic diversion-duodenal switch procedure. Researchers collected 24-hour urine specimens at six or more months after surgery. Oxalate excretion in these patients was with oxalate excretion in a group of stone formers and a group of normal individuals.

Of the 58 subjects, 43 (74%) had hyperoxaluria evident in at least one 24-hour urine collection and 15 (26%) had profound hyperoxaluria. The bariatric patients had significantly higher mean urinary oxalate excretion than the normal subjects and stone formers.

From the March 01, 2009 Issue of Renal and Urology News