Incidence of symptomatic gallstones after gastric bypass: is prophylactic treatment really necessary?

Prophylactic cholecystectomy would have been unnecessary in 115 of the 125 patients in the study group. A 6-month course of ursodiol for all 125 patients, at a cost of $56,250, would have had to decrease the number of cholecystectomies from 10 to 3 to demonstrate a treatment effect (P < .05). Therefore, most newly formed gallstones after gastric bypass are likely asymptomatic, prophylactic cholecystectomy is not indicated, and ursodiol therapy may be better reserved for symptomatic patients who refuse surgery. © 2005 American Society for Bariatric Surgery