To discuss the risk factors of cholecystolithiasis recurrence for Han nationality and Uygur nationality patients who underwent minimally invasive gallbladder-preserving surgery.

Five thousand one hundred and twenty-six Han and Uygur patients who underwent minimally invasive gallbladder-preserving surgery in the General Hospital of Xinjiang Military Command from January 2010 to January 2015 were followed up once a year consecutively for 3 years, and the follow-up deadline was January 2018. The patients with gallstone recurrence were requested to fill out the epidemiological scale "Investigation table of risk factors for gallbladder diseases in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region" and epidemiological investigation were conducted. One hundred patients without recurrence after gallbladder-preserving surgery for Han or Uygur were randomly selected as control to undergo epedemiologicial investigation. One-way ANVOA and Logistic regression analysis statistical methods were used.

A total of 4 654 patients were followed up for 3 years and 320 patients had recurrence of gallstones (recurrence rate was 6.9%). Of the 3 066 Han patients, 171 (5.6%) had recurrence of gallstones; and of the 1 588 Uygur patients, 149 (9.4%) had recurrence of gallstones, the recurrence rate was significantly higher in Uygur patients than that of Han patients (χ²=17.64, P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the family history of parental cholelithiasis and postoperative gallbladder emptying function were common risk factors for recurrence of gallbladder stones after gallbladder-preserving surgery in Han and Uygur patients; body mass index and mutton diet were unique risk factors of recurrence of gallstones in Uygur patients.

The recurrence rate of gallstones after gallbladder-preserving surgery is higher in Uygur patients than that of Han nationality in Xinjiang. The possible reasons for the high recurrence rate may be related to obesity and mutton diet. Parental cholelithiasis family history and postoperative gallbladder emptying function are still the main risk factors for recurrence of gallbladder stones.