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Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Operation in Rats
Published on: June 11, 2012
Hyperoxaluria is a long-term consequence of Roux-en-Y Gastric bypass: a 2-year prospective longitudinal study
Branden G Duffey1, Shaheen Alanee, Renato N Pedro
1Department of Urologic Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Background:
Recent studies suggest that patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) for morbid obesity are at risk for hyperoxaluria, nephrolithiasis, and oxalate nephropathy. Our objective was to conduct a long-term prospective longitudinal study to establish the incidence, clinical progression, and severity of hyperoxaluria after RYGB.
Study Design:
Patients undergoing RYGB between December 2005 and April 2007 provided 24-hour urine collections for comprehensive stone risk analysis 1 week before and 3 months and 1 and 2 years after surgery. Primary outcomes were changes in 24-hour urinary oxalate excretion and relative supersaturation of calcium oxalate from baseline to 2 years post-RYGB.
Results:
The cohort consisted of 21 patients, including 5 (24%) men and 16 (76%) women. Mean preoperative age and body mass index (calculated as kg/m(2)) were 48.2 +/- 10.5 years (range 25 to 64 years) and 50.5 +/- 9.1 (range 39.7 to 66.6), respectively. Urinary oxalate excretion increased significantly after RYGB (33 +/- 9 mg/day versus 63 +/- 29 mg/day; p
Conclusions:
RYGB is associated with a long-term increase in urinary oxalate excretion and decrease in urinary citrate excretion. Although calcium oxalate relative supersaturation increases early in the postoperative period, this returns to baseline with long-term follow-up. These data suggest that patients who have undergone RYGB are at risk for oxalate nephropathy developing.

