Scoliosis surgery has been associated with pancreatitis and acalculous
cholecystitis, and also has been implicated as a risk factor for chol
elithiasis. A prospective study of 36 children and adolescents undergo
ing scoliosis surgery was performed using ultrasound to determine the
incidence of cholelithiasis following spine surgery. The patients unde
rwent abdominal ultrasound exams preoperatively, immediately postopera
tively, and then at intervals following surgery with 2-5-year follow-u
p. Four of 36 patients (11.1%) (one male, three female) developed gall
stones, although all had been free of gallstones after surgery. The ga
llstones appeared between 2 + 5 and 5 years after surgery. Those with
gallstones were not different from those without with respect to 14 fa
ctors. It is concluded that scoliosis surgery is not a risk factor for
gallstones, because of the delay in onset of cholelithiasis after sur
gery. Furthermore, the prevalence of gallstones in this study sample i
s not greater than that reported in historical control studies of Euro
pean young adults.