Relevance of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass volumetry using 3-dimensional gastric computed tomography with gas to predict weight loss at 1 year

3D CAT Scan and Gastric Volumetry in the Planning of Revisional Bariatric Surgery

Background: The planning of revisional bariatric surgery is a complex process. The availability of accurate anatomical information is especially important for the planning of such challenging surgical procedures, we present our initial experience using three-dimensional-computed tomography (3D-CT) images to preoperatively assess the anatomy of patients before bariatric revisional surgery. Methods: We used 3D reconstructed images of CT scans to assess the anatomy and plan revisional surgery in 144 patients 98 of them had a previous sleeve gastrectomy 41 had a previous gastric by-pass and 4 Vertical banded gastroplasties. An effervescent preparation was used to distend the stomach and the proximal bowel allowing volume estimation. Results: Eleven sleeve patients underwent a re-sleeve gastrectomy and 44 were revised to a "Roux-en-Y" gastric bypass (RYGBP). Forty-two patients with a previous gastric by-pass were revised due to weight regain or other issues and 4 patients with previous vertical banded gastroplasty (VBGP) were revised to RYGBP. 3D-CT scans provided valuable information for the planning of all revisional procedures by offering accurate information about the existing anatomy and measures of the volume of the gastric pouch, the size of the gastro-jejunal anastomosis in gastric by-pass cases, or the volume and shape of the gastric tube in gastric sleeve cases. Conclusion: 3D-CT is a fast, widely available, reliable, and accurate tool to assess the anatomy after bariatric procedures. This noninvasive method can be particularly useful for the evaluation of postbariatric patients with failures, suboptimal results, and complications, and for the planning of revisional surgery.

Reliability and usefulness of upper gastro intestinal contrast studies to assess pouch size in patients with weight loss failure after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Background: Weight loss failure or weight regain occurs in up to 25% of patients with a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Post-operative anatomical changes, like pouch or stoma dilatation, might contribute. Aim of this study is to assess reliability and usefulness of upper gastro intestinal (UGI) contrast studies to detect pouch dilatation.Methods: Retrospective case-control study of patients with weight loss failure between 2010 and 2015 (failure group, n = 101) and a control group (n = 101) with adequate weight loss. Pouch dilatation was systematically reassessed. Clinical parameters were extracted from the electronic patient records.Results: Systematic reassessment showed 23/101 (23%) pouch dilatation in the failure group, compared to 11/101 (11%) in the control group (p = .024). Revision surgery was performed in 43/101 patients in the failure group. After this surgery, only 8% of patients with pouch dilatation achieved adequate weight loss, whereas 39% of patients without pouch dilatation achieved adequate weight loss (p = .07). There was no difference in return to adequate weight loss between patients treated surgically and conservatively (30% vs 28%).Conclusion: Systematic reassessment of UGI contrast studies showed 23% pouch dilatation in patients with weight loss failure after RYGB. However, low interobserver agreement and discrepancy in success rate of revision surgery greatly questions the reliability and usefulness of this diagnostic modality.

Swallow Magnetic Resonance Imaging Compared to 3D-Computed Tomography for Pouch Assessment and Hiatal Hernias After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Introduction/Purpose

Weight regain and weight loss failure after bariatric surgery are important issues that may require a weight regain procedure. Three-dimensional-computed tomography (3D-CT) is a well-established method allowing exact measurements of pouch volume. The aims of this study were to prove the applicability of swallow MRI as a non-ionizing procedure and compare it to 3D-CT in patients after weight regain procedures following RYGB.

Materials and Methods

Twelve post-RYGB patients who had a follow-up operation for weight regain before 12/2017 were included in this prospective study. Swallow MRI and 3D-CT were performed in each patient to evaluate the size of the anastomosis, pouch volume, and intrathoracic pouch migration (ITM).

Results

Mean pouch volume in swallow MRI and 3D-CT were 40.4 ± 21.0 ml and 43.5 ± 30.2 ml, respectively (p = 0.83), and pouch diameter at the maximal distention was 35.3 ± 5.9 ml (MRI) and 31.0 ± 10.0 ml (CT) (p = 0.16). The rate of ITM was 75% in both examinations (p = 1.0).

Conclusion

Swallow MRI is a valid method for the assessment of pouch volume in different phases of the swallowing process and is comparable to 3D-CT. The diagnosis of ITM using swallow MRI was equal to 3D-CT.

Dilatation of Sleeve Gastrectomy: Myth or Reality?

OBJECTIVES

The success of longitudinal sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is perceived as being potentially limited by dilatation of the remaining gastric tube during the follow-up. The aim of this prospective study was to determine the incidence and the characteristics of sleeve dilatation during the first post-operative year.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Gastric volumetry using 3D gastric computed tomography with gas expansion was performed in 54 successive subjects who underwent an LSG for morbid obesity at 3 and 12 months following surgery. Total gastric volume, volume of the gastric tube and the antrum, and diameter of the gastric tube were assessed after multiplanar reconstructions. An increase of at least 25 % of the total gastric volume was considered as sleeve dilatation. Percentage of excess BMI loss (%EBMIL) and daily caloric intakes were recorded during the first 18 months.

RESULTS

Sixty-one percent of the subjects experienced sleeve dilatation 1 year after surgery. The gastric tube was mainly involved in the sleeve dilatation process (+91 %). Sleeve dilatation occurred especially in subjects with smaller total gastric volume at baseline (189 vs 236 ml, p = 0.02). Daily caloric intake was similar between the groups at each point of the follow-up. No difference concerning %EBMIL was observed between the groups during the 18 months of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Sleeve dilatation occurred in more than 50 % of the patients. Dilatation was not necessarily linked to an increase of daily caloric intake and insufficient weight loss during the first 18 months following surgery. Small LSG at baseline is at higher risk of dilatation.

CT gastrography for volumetric measurement of remnant stomach after distal gastrectomy: a feasibility study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the feasibility of post-operative CT gastrography for volumetry of the remnant stomach in gastric cancer patients treated with distal gastrectomy.

METHODS

CT gastrography was performed with oral administration of effervescent granules in 35 gastric cancer patients who underwent distal gastrectomy. Two readers independently rated the degree of gastric distension on a four-point scale, one (near-total collapse) to four (well distended) and measured the volume of remnant stomach using either 3D or 2D volumetry. The inter-volumetry agreements between the 2D and 3D methods and the interobserver agreements between readers 1 and 2 were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman plots.

RESULTS

The mean score of gastric distension was 3.4 ± 0.6 points and 3.4 ± 0.7 points from readers 1 and 2, respectively. We regarded CT images scored with 3-4 points as a technical success for reliable CT volumetry, which achieved a rate of 91.4% (32/35). For the inter-volumetry agreements between 3D and 2D volumetry, the ICCs were 0.9778 and 0.9814 from readers 1 and 2, respectively. The interobserver agreement between readers 1 and 2 was also excellent, with ICCs of 0.9961 and 0.9876 for 2D and 3D volumetry, respectively. On Bland-Altman plots, the means of differences between any pairs of volumetry measurements ranged from -31.1 to 3.2 cm(3), which may be an acceptable range of measurement variability.

CONCLUSIONS

Post-operative CT gastrography is feasible in patients treated with distal gastrectomy. Both 2D and 3D volumetry methods are comparable in measuring the remnant stomach volume.

Impact of sleeve gastrectomy volumes on weight loss results: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Causes of weight loss failure after sleeve gastrectomy (SG) are still controversial. The impact of the size of the sleeve continues to be debated.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to determine the impact of sleeve volumes assessed at 3 months using gastric computed tomography (CT) on weight loss at 18 months.

SETTING

University Hospital, France.

METHODS

Sixty-seven obese patients eligible for SG were prospectively evaluated. Sleeve volumes were assessed postsurgery using 3-dimensional gastric CT with gas at 3 months and weight loss outcomes recorded up to 18 months. The population was divided into 2 groups: the first tertile (n = 22) with the smallest gastric volume was defined as the "small sleeve" group (SSG) and the rest of the population (n = 45) was defined as the "without small sleeve" group (WSSG).

RESULTS

No patients were lost to follow-up. In the SSG, overall gastric volume was 133±7 mL versus 264±11 mL for the WSSG (P<.0001). Percentage excess body mass index loss (%EBMIL) during the first postoperative 18 months was significantly greater in the SSG compared with the WSSG (P = .04). Although the volume of the gastric tube was not correlated with weight loss (r =-.04, P = .78), there was a negative linear correlation between the volume of the antrum and the %EBMIL at 18 months (r =-.39, P = .005). A narrow gastric tube was also associated with a high digestive intolerance and reflux.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that performing the sleeve with a not-too-small bougie size and a radical antrectomy could improve weight loss and digestive tolerance.