Perioperative morbi-mortality associated with bariatric surgery: from systematic biliopancreatic diversion to a tailored laparoscopic gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy approach

Incidence of Diabetes Mellitus, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Cancer in Patients Undergoing Malabsorptive Surgery (Biliopancreatic Diversion and Biliointestinal Bypass) vs Medical Treatment

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Bariatric surgeries such as gastric banding (LAGB), gastric bypass (RYGB), vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), and sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) decrease body weight in morbid obesity, leading to the resolution of coexisting diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension in the majority of cases as well as improvements of renal function and liver steatosis. BS (LAGB, RYGB, VBG, and LSG) also reduce incident cases of diabetes, of cardiovascular diseases, and of cancer; these therapeutic and preventive effects on comorbidities of obesity have not been analyzed for malabsorptive surgeries such as biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) or biliointestinal bypass (BIBP). The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of comorbidities, i.e., diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, in obese subjects undergoing BPD and BIBP, in comparison with standard medical treatment of obesity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Medical records of 1983 obese patients (body mass index (BMI) > 35 kg/m², aged 18-65 years, undergoing surgery (n = 472, of which 111 with diabetes) or medical treatment (n = 1511, of which 422 with diabetes), during the period 1999-2008 (visit 1)) were collected; incident cases of comorbidities were ascertained through December 31, 2016.

RESULTS

Observation period was 12.0 ± 3.48 years (mean ± SD). Compared to non-surgical patients matched for age, body mass index, and blood pressure, malabsorptive surgeries were associated with reduced new incident cases of diabetes (p = 0.001), cardiovascular diseases (p = 0.001), hyperlipidemia (p = 0.001), oculopathy (p = 0.021), and cancer (p = 0.001). The preventive effect of BS was similar in both nondiabetic and diabetic patients for cardiovascular diseases and hyperlipidemia (both p = 0.001). The preventive effect was significant in nondiabetic subjects for coronary heart disease and for cancer, not significant in diabetic subjects.

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing malabsorptive bariatric surgery show less incident cases of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hyperlipidemia, oculopathy, and cancer than controls receiving medical treatment.

Efficacy and Safety of the Over-the-Scope Clip (OTSC) System in the Management of Leak and Fistula After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: a Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic management of leaks/fistulas after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is gaining popularity in the bariatric surgery.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to review the efficacy and safety of over-the-scope-clip (OTSC) system in endoscopic closure of post-LSG leak/fistula.

METHODS

PubMed/Medline and major journals of the field were systematically reviewed for studies on endoscopic closure of post-LSG leaks/fistula by means of the OTSC system.

RESULTS

A total of ten eligible studies including 195 patients with post-LSG leaks/fistula were identified. The time between LSG and leak/fistula ranged from 1 day to 803 days. Most of the leaks/fistula were located at the proximal staple line, and they sized from 3 to 20 mm. Time between leak diagnosis and OTSC clipping ranged from 0 to 271 days. Thirty-three out of 53 patients (63.5%) required one clip for closure of the lesion. Regarding the OTSC-related complications, a leak occurred in five patients (9.3%) and OTSC migration, stenosis, and tear each in one patient (1.8%). Of the 73 patients with post-LSG leak treated with OTSC, 63 patients had an overall successful closure (86.3%).

CONCLUSION

OTSC system is a promising endoscopic approach for management of post-LSG leaks in appropriately selected patients. Unfortunately, most studies are series with a small sample size, short-term follow-up, and mixed data of concomitant procedures with OTSC. Further studies should distinguish the net efficacy of the OTSC system from other concomitant procedures in treatment of post-LSG leak.

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Versus Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy to Treat Morbid Obesity-Related Comorbidities: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Our aim was to compare laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) for treating morbid obesity and its related comorbidities. An electronic literature search was performed from inception to May 2015 and a total of 18,455 patients, enrolled in 62 recent studies, were included in this meta-analysis. Patients receiving LRYGB had a significantly higher percentage of excess weight loss and better resolution of hypertension, dyslipidemia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and arthritis compared with those receiving LSG. LRYGB and LSG showed similar effects on type 2 diabetes mellitus and sleep apnea.

Staple-line leak after sleve gastrectomy in obese patients: A hot topic in bariatric surgery

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a surgical procedure that is being increasingly performed on obese patients. Among its complications, leaks are the most serious and life threatening. The placement of esophageal, covered, self-expandable metal stents in these cases has been performed by many authors but reports on the outcome of this procedure are limited and the technical aspects are not well defined. Stent migration is the main complication of the procedure and poses a challenge to the surgeon, with a limited number of options. Here we evaluate the technical and clinical outcome of a new, dedicated, self-expanding metal stent, comparing the advantages of this stent to those traditionally used to treat staple-line leak after sleeve gastrectomy. While published data are limited, they seem support the use of this kind of new stent as the best option for the stenting treatment of a staple-line leak after sleeve gastrectomy, over other kinds of stents. Further studies based on larger series are needed to better evaluate patient outcome.

Staple-line leak after sleve gastrectomy in obese patients: A hot topic in bariatric surgery

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a surgical procedure that is being increasingly performed on obese patients. Among its complications, leaks are the most serious and life threatening. The placement of esophageal, covered, self-expandable metal stents in these cases has been performed by many authors but reports on the outcome of this procedure are limited and the technical aspects are not well defined. Stent migration is the main complication of the procedure and poses a challenge to the surgeon, with a limited number of options. Here we evaluate the technical and clinical outcome of a new, dedicated, self-expanding metal stent, comparing the advantages of this stent to those traditionally used to treat staple-line leak after sleeve gastrectomy. While published data are limited, they seem support the use of this kind of new stent as the best option for the stenting treatment of a staple-line leak after sleeve gastrectomy, over other kinds of stents. Further studies based on larger series are needed to better evaluate patient outcome.

Laparoscopic versus open obesity surgery: a meta-analysis of pulmonary complications

The clinical effects of laparoscopy in the pulmonary function of obese patients have been poorly investigated in the past. A systematic review was undertaken, with the objective to identify published evidence on pulmonary complications in laparoscopic surgery in the obese. Outcome measures included pulmonary morbidity, pulmonary infection and mortality. The random effects model was used to calculate combined overall effect sizes of pooled data. Data are presented as the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 6 randomized and 14 observational studies were included, which reported data on 185,328 patients. Pulmonary complications occurred in 1.6% of laparoscopic and in 3.6% of open procedures (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.34-0.60). Pneumonia was reported in 0.5% and in 1.1%, respectively (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.40-0.51). Available evidence suggests lower pulmonary morbidity for laparoscopic surgery in obese patients; further quality studies are however necessary to consolidate these findings.

Anesthesia for bariatric surgery: 8-year retrospective study: are our patients now easier to manage?

OBJECTIVES

To review the perioperative management of patients who had undergone bariatric surgery in our institution during an 8-year period, with the aim of identifying variables that correlated with improved clinical outcomes and changes in perioperative practice.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational study of 437 patients who had undergone bariatric surgery from January 2005 to June 2013. Of these patients, 163 had undergone open or laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion (Group 1), and 274 had been managed according to a Tailored Laparoscopic Approach Program (TLAP) (Group 2). We analyzed major cardiocirculatory, pulmonary, and surgery-related complications, mortality rate, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, post-anesthetic care unit (PACU) length of stay, and perioperative management standards, throughout the study period.

RESULTS

Changes were observed in anesthetic patterns and perioperative care standards during the study period: 25% of patients had combined epidural anesthesia in 2005, compared with none at present; ICU admissions decreased from 28.6% in 2005 to 3.1% at present; and time in PACU declined from a median of 23 h in 2005 to 5.12h at present. Duration of postoperative opioid therapy was also significantly reduced (from 48 h to 6h). Group 2 had a significantly lower mortality rate than Group 1 (0.37% versus 4.3%, respectively, P=0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

In our institution, adoption of a TLAP for bariatric surgery has led to changes in perioperative care standards that have been followed by clear improvements according to morbidity, mortality and management indicators.

Forensic Considerations in Bariatric Surgery Patients

Bariatric surgery is gaining in popularity in the United States and around the world as a treatment for morbid obesity. Patients seek surgery in order to lose weight and limit the long-term effects of insulin-resistant diabetes, heart disease and lung disease, including risk of sudden death. While gastric bypass in patients with morbid obesity can reduce the risk of diabetes and myocardial infarction to population levels, the risk of death remains increased. These patients may die suddenly and unexpectedly as a direct result of surgery, as an indirect result of surgery, or of end-organ damage wrought by years of obesity, completely unrelated to the surgery. Proper forensic pathologic assessment of these patients requires an understanding of the anatomic changes caused by bariatric surgery, the complications and the metabolic consequences of the different procedures. In order to better understand this subgroup of patients, a search of the peer-reviewed medical literature at the National Library of Medicine was conducted for articles using the keywords bariatric, surgery, gastric bypass, autopsy, review, toxicology, alcohol, drug, ethanol, absorption, elimination, litigation, forensic, and death. This review outlines the most common laparoscopic and open surgical procedures; the common immediate post-surgical complications that lead to morbidity and mortality; forensic toxicological considerations in bariatric patients; and the long-term complications and other causes that could lead to unexpected death in these patients.