Is prophylactic cholecystectomy useful in obese patients undergoing gastric bypass?
GROUND: Obesity constitutes a clear risk factor for cholelithiasis, especially if it is associated with a rapid weight loss, as is the case of patients following bariatric surgery. Prophylactic cholecystectomy is indicated in biliopancreatic diversions due to the high incidence of postoperative cholelithiasis. However, there is no agreement on gastric bypass. This study was conducted to establish the incidence of cholecystopathy demonstrated by histology and to assess the indication for prophylactic cholecystectomy in a systematic way on patients undergoing gastric bypass. METHODS: The evaluation is based on 100 consecutive morbidly obese patients undergoing open gastric bypass surgery with concomitant prophylactic cholecystectomy. Variables studied were: age, gender, body mass index, preoperative ultrasound and the anatomopathologic analysis of the gallbladder that was removed. RESULTS: Of the 100 patients who took part in the trial, 11 had had a previous cholecystectomy. Among the 89
