Incidence of Gallbladder Stone Formation After Bariatric Surgery Using Ultrasound Imaging in the Southern Region of Saudi Arabia

Nasser Shubayr; Meaad Elbashir; Yazeed Alashban; Sarra Ali; Marwan Jafaari; Ali Hendi; Naif Majrashi; Ali Alyami; Nada Alumairi

doi:10.7759/cureus.25948

Incidence of Gallbladder Stone Formation After Bariatric Surgery Using Ultrasound Imaging in the Southern Region of Saudi Arabia

Cureus. 2022 Jun 15;14(6):e25948. doi: 10.7759/cureus.25948. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Authors

Nasser Shubayr^{1

2}, Meaad Elbashir³, Yazeed Alashban⁴, Sarra Ali³, Marwan Jafaari⁵, Ali Hendi⁶, Naif Majrashi³, Ali Alyami³, Nada Alumairi³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU.
² Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU.
³ Department of Diagnostic Radiography Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU.
⁴ Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, SAU.
⁵ Department of Radiology, Prince Mohammed bin Nasser Hospital, Jazan, SAU.
⁶ Department of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, SAU.

Abstract

Background Bariatric surgery is performed for accomplishing weight loss, which can save patients from diseases associated with morbid obesity. However, rapid weight loss is one of the most important risk factors contributing to the formation of gallbladder stones. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of gallstone formation among patients in the southern region of Saudi Arabia who underwent bariatric surgery and to evaluate the association between several parameters and gallstone development in these patients. Methods A retrospective study was conducted including 57 patients who did not have gallstones in the preoperative abdominal ultrasound examinations. Demographic data, such as age and gender, were obtained along with other parameters like weight loss after surgery, and time elapsed between the surgery to post-surgery US examination. The findings of the US examinations were collected and analyzed. Data were analyzed to obtain descriptive and inferential statistics. A correlation matrix to investigate the dependence between variables was conducted. Results Patients in this study underwent either sleeve gastrectomy (87.7% [n = 50]) or gastric banding procedures (12.3% [n = 7]). The occurrence of cholecystectomy was 46% after sleeve gastrectomy and 71.1% after gastric band procedures. The majority of the patients (57.9%) lost weight after surgery in the range of 20 to 40 kg. The time elapses between the surgery to post-surgery ultrasonography examination varied among patients, where less than one year, one to three years, and three to six years accounted for 47.4%, 43.9%, and 8.8%, respectively. Gallstone formation after the surgery was found in 35 (61.4%) of the total cases. Among patients who developed gallbladder stones after bariatric surgery, 62.9%, 28.4%, and 8.6% were within less than one year, one to three years, and three to six years, respectively. The results suggest a statistically significant correlation betweengallstone formation and the time elapsed after the surgery (P = 0.008) and the type of bariatric surgery (P = 0.006). Conclusion The current study found that the overall incidence rate of gallbladder stones after bariatric surgery is 61.4%. The study assumed a possible higher incidence of gallbladder stones following bariatric surgery among the population in the southern region of Saudi Arabia compared to incidence rates reported in the literature. The type of bariatric surgery and the time elapsed after the surgery were found to be of value in predicting the formation of gallstones.

Keywords: bariatric surgery; cholecystectomy; gallstone; postoperative; weight loss.