Kidney Stones after Gastric Bypass
Citrate and Oxalate Levels
A study conducted in the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center confirmed these reports by testing two sets of patients, the first set composed of patients who have undergone Roux-en Y gastric bypass surgery, and the second set composed of obese individuals who did not undergo the said surgery.
The results of the clinical trials conducted on the two sets of patients showed that gastric bypass surgery patients had a higher percentage of oxalate, a substance found in kidney stones, in their urine, as compared to the non-gastric bypass patients. Meanwhile, lower levels of citrate, which prevents the formation of kidney stones, were found in the urine of the gastric bypass patients, as compared to the non-gastric bypass patients.
The combination of these two factors in gastric bypass patients, an increase in oxalate levels and a decrease in citrate levels, ultimately result in calcium oxalate supersaturation in these patients. This is potentially dangerous for gastric bypass patients because one of the ways in which kidney stones are formed is through the binding of oxalate with calcium.
Hyperoxaluria
Hyperoxaluria is defined as a disorder that causes a special type of kidney stone to form in the urine, and is said to be present in the urinary tract when there are stones in the urine and kidney, which are composed of calcium oxalate. The formation of such kidney stones caused by hyperoxaluria may eventually lead to kidney failure.
As mentioned earlier, gastric bypass patients have higher levels of oxalate in their urinary tracts, and thus leads to the formation of kidney stones. Because of the prevalence of oxalate in gastric bypass patients, doctors caution patients in undergoing gastric bypass surgery because of this serious side effect.

American Society of Nephrology"Increased Lithogenic Risk Factors Following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery for Morbid Obesity"http://www.asn-online.org
WebMD"Hyperoxaluria Definition"http://www.medterms.com
Science News, Technology, Physics, Nanotechnology, Space Science, Earth Science, Medicine"Gastric Bypass Surgery Increases Risk of Kidney Stones"http://www.physorg.com
"Kidney Stones after Gastric Bypass." Sophisticated Edge. N.p., n.d. Web. . <http://www.sophisticatededge.com/kidney-stones-after-gastric-bypass.html>.
Citrate and Oxalate Levels
A study conducted in the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center confirmed these reports by testing two sets of patients, the first set composed of patients who have undergone Roux-en Y gastric bypass surgery, and the second set composed of obese individuals who did not undergo the said surgery.
The results of the clinical trials conducted on the two sets of patients showed that gastric bypass surgery patients had a higher percentage of oxalate, a substance found in kidney stones, in their urine, as compared to the non-gastric bypass patients. Meanwhile, lower levels of citrate, which prevents the formation of kidney stones, were found in the urine of the gastric bypass patients, as compared to the non-gastric bypass patients.
The combination of these two factors in gastric bypass patients, an increase in oxalate levels and a decrease in citrate levels, ultimately result in calcium oxalate supersaturation in these patients. This is potentially dangerous for gastric bypass patients because one of the ways in which kidney stones are formed is through the binding of oxalate with calcium.
Hyperoxaluria
Hyperoxaluria is defined as a disorder that causes a special type of kidney stone to form in the urine, and is said to be present in the urinary tract when there are stones in the urine and kidney, which are composed of calcium oxalate. The formation of such kidney stones caused by hyperoxaluria may eventually lead to kidney failure.
As mentioned earlier, gastric bypass patients have higher levels of oxalate in their urinary tracts, and thus leads to the formation of kidney stones. Because of the prevalence of oxalate in gastric bypass patients, doctors caution patients in undergoing gastric bypass surgery because of this serious side effect.

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