Sleeve gastrectomy in class 1 obesity: Assessment of operative outcomes

Low-Pressure Pneumoperitoneum During Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: a Safety and Feasibility Analysis

PURPOSE

Laparoscopy is advised under the lowest possible intra-peritoneal pressure. The aim of this study is to analyze the safety/feasibility of low pneumoperitoneum pressure (LPP) during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All primary LSGs who completed a 3-month follow-up were included. Re-do operations and LSGs performed with concomitant procedures were excluded. All LSGs were performed by the senior author. Upon trocar insertions, pressure was set to 10 mmHg, and the procedure was started. The pressure was increased step-wise, according to the senior author's assessment of the quality of exposure. Doing so, three pressure groups were formed: groups 1 (10 mmHg), 2 (11-13 mmHg), and 3 (14 mmHg). All data was retrieved from our database. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA/Tukey's HSD test/Chi-square test. P values < 0.05 were regarded as significant.

RESULTS

Between February 2018 and October 2022, 708 consecutive/primary LSGs were studied. No mortality/conversion/thromboembolic event was observed. Groups 1, 2, and 3 comprised 376 (53.1%), 243 (34.3%), and 89 (12.6%) patients, respectively. Demographics, initial weight, duration of surgery, history for abdominoplasty, drain output, length of stay, and %total weight loss were evenly distributed among groups. Among 16 bleeding episodes, 14 occurred in the LPP group (p = 0.019). Including the only leak and stenosis, 8/9 of Clavien-Dindo 3b + 4 complications were observed in the LPP group (p = 0.092).

CONCLUSIONS

LSG with LPP is feasible in about half of the patients. However, almost all potentially life-threatening complications occurred in the LPP group where a significantly higher rate of bleeding was observed. Our findings suggest caution for routinely using LPP during LSG.

Combined Partial Toupet Fundoplication With Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for Patients With Morbid Obesity and Symptomatic GERD: Preliminary Results of the T-sleeve Technique

AIM

The aim of this study to reveal preliminary results of our Toupet-sleeve technique in morbid obese patients with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and compare their outcomes with laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) patients' outcomes.

METHODS

The study included 103 patients who underwent primary LSG between March 2018 and October 2020 and 18 patients who underwent partial T-sleeve. Patients were stratified into 2 groups according to the surgical technique. All of the patients had preoperative symptomatic GERD. Patients were reevaluated with regard to GERD symptoms and weight loss in the postoperative period. Two groups' data were compared.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 39.2±10.2 years (63% female), and the mean body mass index was 43.2±6.4 kg/m2. The median operative time was 93 minutes (75 to 110 min) in group A (primary LSG) and 110 minutes (90 to 120 min) in group B (partial T-sleeve). The mean body mass index decreased to 28±4.5 kg/m2 in group A and 25.8±3.5 kg/m2 in group B at 12 months after the surgery. At the 12th month, the patients were reevaluated for GERD symptoms. Reflux symptoms were found to be resolved in 62% of the patients (n=64) in group A, while 32% of the patients (n=39) had persistent GERD symptoms. In group B, all of the patients had discontinued proton pump inhibitors postoperatively, and GERD symptoms were completely resolved in 94% of these patients (n=17).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study showed that T-sleeve provides a very good weight loss and reflux control in patients with symptomatic GERD with morbid obesity in the short-term period. This technique can be proposed in some cases as a primary treatment modality. High numbers of patients and longer follow-up are needed.

Staple-line reinforcement using barbed sutures in 1008 sleeve gastrectomies

Purpose

Among various staple-line reinforcement methods applied during sleeve gastrectomy (SG), although data on full-thickness-continuous-suturing (FTCS) is nearly nil, it has been considered as potentially harmful. The safety/efficacy profile of FTCS is assessed.

Methods

All consecutive SGs completing 3-month follow-up were studied. Data on peri-operative parameters, complications, and follow-up were prospectively recorded. All reinforcements were completed by FTCS utilizing barbed suture. Super-super obese, secondary SGs, SGs performed in patients with prior anti-reflux surgery, and SGs performed with additional concomitant procedures were evaluated as “technically demanding” SGs. Student’s t/chi-square tests were used as appropriate.

Results

Between January 2012 and July 2020, 1008 SGs (941 “primary-standard,” 67 “technically demanding”) were performed without mortality/venous event. Single leak occurred in a patient with sleeve obstruction (0.1%). Thirteen bleedings, 4 requiring re-surgery (0.4%), and 17 stenoses (1.7%) were encountered. Four stenoses were treated with gastric bypass (1 emergency), 6 by dilatation(s), and one required parenteral nutrition. Six patients with stenosis chose not to have any treatment. No statistically significant difference was observed in postoperative complications between “primary-standard” and “technically demanding” SGs (p > 0.05). The median follow-up was 44 months. The excess weight loss % at 5th year was 80.1%. Suturing added 28.4 ± 6 minutes to the SG, 3 or fewer sutures were used to complete the reinforcement in > 95%. No mishap/complication occurred related to suturing.

Conclusion

FTCS produced excellent result in terms of leakage/hemorrhage with an acceptable stenosis rate at a low cost with half-an-hour increase in the operating time. In contrast to previous allegations, no harm attributable to stitching itself occurred.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00423-021-02161-5.