Gallbladder management in obesity surgery

In the 1980s, some surgeons recommended routine cholecystectomy for patients undergoing bariatric surgery. This was based on the high prevalence of gallstones in the obese and concern that rapid weight loss would increase the risk of gallbladder disease. Others recommended waiting for a lower weight and a definite need. With increasing prevalence and severity of obesity and increased use of gastric reduction surgery for weight control, it seemed appropriate to review the current standard of care for cholecystectomy. A survey was also made of ursodeoxycholic acid usage for prevention of gallstone formation.

Data collected from active contributors for the 28th Report of the International Bariatric Surgery Registry (IBSR) were examined. Two questionnaires were also sent to members of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS). The first (Q1) asked about the indications for cholecystectomy. The second (Q2) asked about ursodeoxycholic acid usage for prevention of gallstone formation during rapid weight loss following surgical treatment of obesity.

There has been an increase in concurrent cholecystectomy during the last 15 years. Some of this is due to a shift from simple gastric restrictive operations to gastric bypass with gastric restriction. When the most extensive bypass of intestine is used, as in distal Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP-X) or biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch (BPD-DS), all patients were reported to have undergone cholecystectomy. Only 30% of surgeons performing standard Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) remove normal-appearing gallbladders. Ursodeoxycholic acid is used to prevent gallstone formation in one-third of patients when a normal-appearing gallbladder is left in place.

Prophylactic cholecystectomy is left to the discretion of the surgeon when RYGBP is used. There has been an increase in cholecystectomy and malabsorptive operations during the last 15 years. When most of the small bowel is bypassed, all remaining gallbladders are removed. For patients with simple restriction operations, normal-appearing gallbladders are usually left in place. Urso-deoxycholic acid during rapid weight loss for prevention of gallstone formation is used in one-third of patients with remaining gallbladders.