Bowel resection, bypass linked to increased risk of repeat stone surgery

Among people who have undergone stone surgery, those with a history of bowel resection and bypass appear to be at increased risk of repeat stone surgery, according to a study.

The study involved 2,011 surgical stone patients with or without bowel disease. Bowel disease was categorized as follows: inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), bypass procedures, bowel resection, and bowel disease not otherwise specified (eg, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease).

Of the patients, 484 (24 percent) had some type of bowel disease. Relative to those without bowel disease, those who did have it tended to present with stones at an older age (62.2 vs 58.4 years; p<0.001) and were more likely to be female (56 percent vs 46 percent; p<0.001).

Furthermore, more repeat stone surgery procedures were performed in patients with bowel disease than in those without bowel disease (31 percent vs 23 percent; p<0.001).

Multivariable analysis showed that bypass procedures were associated with more repeat surgery compared with the absence of bowel disease (p<0.001), as was bowel resection (p=0.002).

On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the risk of repeat stone surgery between patients with IBD or bowel disease not otherwise specified and those without bowel disease.