Difference in kidney stone incidence after three types of intestinal bypass operations

Jejuno-ileal bypass operations have been used for more than 20 years for the treatment of massive obesity. This treatment results in malabsorption with diarrhoea, especially during the first year after operation. A high incidence of urinary tract calculi was found in these patients (Backman & Hallberg, 1972; Dickstein & Frame, 1973; O'Leary, Thomas & Woodward, 1974; Backman et al., 1975; Gregory et al., 1975). Other known late complications are transient disturbances in liver function and electrolyte balance (Backman et al., 1975). Different types of operations result in different frequencies of kidney stones.