Roux-en-Y weight loss surgery raises kidney ...(published these findings in the June Jo...),Health

"Our study is not an indictment of bariatric surgerythe benefits of this surgery are well known," says Matlaga. "Rather, we'd like to help physicians understand that their bariatric patients could be at risk for kidney stones, a condition that could be avoidable with proper preventative care."

Matlaga explains that kidney stones are often caused by an excess of a dietary component known as oxalate, which normally binds with calcium and is flushed out of the body. Roux-en-Y surgery might reduce the amount of calcium that patients absorb, contributing to kidney stone formation. Consequently, Matlaga adds, doctors may be able to help patients avoid kidney stones through calcium supplements or other interventions.

Kidney stones are solid mineral crystals that form within the kidneys and can cause pain that is frequently severe. Each year, people make almost 3 million visits to health care providers and more than half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems.

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