Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in patients with gall stones before and after cholecystectomy: a longitudinal study.

Fifty six patients with gall stones were enrolled in this study to assess the presence of Helicobacter pylori in gastric mucosa before and after cholecystectomy. Samples were taken from gastric juice and antral mucosa through endoscopy performed on these patients before and after the operation. Gastric juice was examined for bile salt concentration as an indicator of duodenogastric reflux. Antral mucosa was studied for the presence of H pylori and inflammatory response. Duodenogastric reflux was significantly increased (p < 0.001) and H pylori significantly decreased (p < 0.01) in the postoperative period. Mucosal inflammation and its activity were less in the postoperative period but the differences did not reach statistically significant values.