Risk factors for kidney stone formation following bariatric surgery

Kidney stones are painful, common, and increasing in incidence. Obesity and bariatric surgery rates are also on the rise in the United States. While bariatric surgery is associated with improvements in metabolic outcomes, malabsorptive bariatric surgery procedures are also associated with increased risk of kidney stones. Restrictive bariatric surgeries have not been associated with kidney stone risk. Higher risk of kidney stones after malabsorptive procedures is associated with post-surgical changes in urine composition, including high urine oxalate, low urine citrate, and low urine volume. Certain dietary recommendations after surgery may help mitigate these urine changes and reduce risk of kidney stones. Understanding risk of kidney stones after surgery is essential to improving patient outcomes after bariatric surgery.