Portal venous system thrombosis after bariatric surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Outcome of bariatric surgery in patients with unexpected liver cirrhosis: A multicenter study from China

Background and aims

Liver cirrhosis is a complex disease that may result in increased morbidity and mortality following bariatric surgery (BS). This study aimed to explore the outcome of BS in patients with unexpected cirrhosis, focusing on postoperative complications and the progression of liver disease.

Methods

A retrospective study of bariatric patients with cirrhosis from four centers in China between 2016 and 2023 was conducted, with follow-up for one year after BS. The primary outcome was the safety of BS in patients with unexpected cirrhosis, while the secondary outcome was the metabolic efficacy of BS in this group postoperatively.

Results

A total of 47 patients met the study criteria, including 46 cases of Child-Pugh class A cirrhosis and 1 case of Child-Pugh B. Pathological examination confirmed nodular cirrhosis in 21 patients (44.68%), pseudolobule formation in 1 patient (2.13%), lipedema degeneration with inflammatory cell infiltration in 3 patients (6.38%), and chronic hepatitis in 1 patient (2.13%). The average percentage of total weight loss was 29.73 ± 6.53% at one year postoperatively. During the 30-day postoperative period, the complication rate was 6.38%, which included portal vein thrombosis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and intra-abdominal infection. Moreover, no cases of liver decompensation or mortality were reported during the follow-up period. The remission rates of comorbidities among 41 patients one year after surgery were as follows: dyslipidemia 100%, type 2 diabetes 82.61%, hypertension 84.62%, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome 85.71%.

Conclusions

BS can be safely performed in patients with unexpected cirrhosis in the compensated stage of liver disease, with low postoperative morbidity and no mortality observed during one-year follow-up.

Portomesenteric Venous Thrombosis after Bariatric Surgery: A Case Series and Systematic Review Comparing LSG and LRYGB

(1) Background: Portomesenteric Venous Thrombosis (PMVT) is a rare but serious complication of Metabolic Bariatric Surgery (MBS). Although more frequently reported after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), the risk factors for PMVT remain unclear. This study aims to compare the incidence and determinants of PMVT between LSG and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). (2) Methods: A retrospective analysis of 5235 MBSs conducted at our institution between 2015 and 2023 identified five cases of PMVT. Additionally, a systematic review in March 2023, covering PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus, was performed. Several data were analyzed regarding risk factors. (3) Results: In our case series, the incidence of PMVT was 0.1%. The five cases described involved four females with a BMI between 39.7 and 56.0 kg/m2. Their comorbidities were associated with metabolic syndrome, all women used oral contraceptive and two patients were diagnosed with thrombophilia or pulmonary embolism. Per protocol, thromboprophylaxis was administered to all patients. Diagnosis was made at a median of 16 days post-surgery, with abdominal pain being the main presenting symptom. Acute cases were managed with enoxaparin, unfractionated heparin and fibrinolysis. One patient required surgery. Ten studies were included in the systematic review and 205 patients with PMVT were identified: 193 (94.1%) post-LSG and 12 post-LRYGB. The most common comorbidities were dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea and liver disorders; (4) Conclusions: PMVT is a potentially life-threatening complication after MBS, requiring preventive measures, timely diagnosis and several treatments. Our findings suggest a higher occurrence in women with an elevated BMI and post-LSG. Tailored thromboprophylaxis for MBS patients at risk of PMVT may be warranted.

Outcomes of bariatric surgery in the setting of compensated advanced chronic liver disease associated with clinically significant portal hypertension: a multicenter, retrospective, cohort study on feasibility and safety

BACKGROUND

The obesity epidemic has led to an increase in the proportion of patients with chronic liver disease due to metabolic associated steatosic liver disease and in the prevalence of obesity in patients with cirrhosis. Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) has been proven to determine weight loss, obesity-related medical problems remission, and liver steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis improvement. However, cirrhosis and portal hypertension are well-known risk factors for increased morbidity and mortality after surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of MBS in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cALCD) and clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This is an international, multicentric, retrospective study on 63 individuals affected by obesity with cALCD and CSPH who underwent MBS in tertiary referral centers with experts hepatobiliary surgeons between January 2010 and October 2022. The primary endpoint was postoperative mortality at 90 days. The secondary endpoints included postoperative weight loss at last follow-up and postoperative complication rate. In addition, the authors performed subgroup analyses of Child-Pugh (A vs. B) score, MELD (≤9 vs. >9) score, and type of surgery.

RESULTS

One patient (1.6%) experienced gastric leakage and mortality. There were three (5%) reported cases of portal vein thrombosis, two (3%) postoperative acute renal failure, and one (1.6%) postoperative encephalopathy. Child-Pugh score A resulted to be a protective factor for intraoperative bleeding requiring transfusion at univariate analysis (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.55-0.97, P =0.046) but not at multivariate analysis. MELD>9 score and the type of surgery did not result to be a risk factor for any postoperative complication.

CONCLUSION

MBS is safe in patients with cALCD and CSPH performed in tertiary bariatric referral centers with hepatobiliary expert surgeons. Larger, prospective studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these results.

Single-Dose enoxaparin for portomesenteric venous thrombosis prophylaxis after sleeve gastrectomy

Introduction

Portomesenteric venous thrombosis (PMVT) may complicate sleeve gastrectomy. We believe that single dose of enoxaparin postoperatively can reduce the risk of PMVT.

Objective

The objective was to study the outcomes of enoxaparin single dose compared to other perioperative prophylactic doses in preventing PMVT.

Methods

Participants included 590 patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). These retrospective cohort data were collected from patient medical charts after bariatric surgery. Patients were followed up in the close postoperative period and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. Descriptive statistical analysis was carried out. The objective was to estimate the incidence of PMVT with postoperative single 40 mg subcutaneous enoxaparin prophylactic regimen.

Results

From January 2017 to December 2021, 590 patients with obesity underwent LSG. Five patients developed PMVT with an estimate incidence of 0.85%. Three patients had unexplained tachycardia and three patients had postoperative bleeding.

Conclusions

Single-dose enoxaparin 40 mg is an effective thrombosis prophylaxis without increasing risk of bleeding.

Postoperative Stomach Volvulus and Pancreatitis Following a Sleeve Gastrectomy

The laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is the most common bariatric surgery performed to promote weight loss and improve obesity-related comorbidities. As the number of patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy increases, so does the prevalence of complications. It is crucial to recognize both common and unusual complications of sleeve gastrectomy to properly diagnose and manage them. We present a unique case of gastric outlet obstruction not visualized on initial imaging and acute pancreatitis following a sleeve gastrectomy. We recommend performing an endoscopy and ordering serum lipase levels in a patient with negative CT scans but persistent postoperative nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The management of postoperative gastric outlet obstruction includes supportive care, balloon dilation of the stenotic area, or gastric bypass if symptoms persist.

Portomesenteric Vein Thrombosis in Patients Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy: an Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 101,914 Patients

INTRODUCTION

Portomesenteric vein thrombosis (PMVT) is a rare but potentially fatal complication of sleeve gastrectomy (SG). The rising prevalence of SG has led to a surge in the occurrence of PMVT, while the associated risk factors have not been fully elucidated. This study aims to determine the incidence and risk factors of PMVT in patients undergoing SG.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed and EMBASE databases. Proportion and regression meta-analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

In a total of 76 studies including 101,914 patients undergoing SG, we identified 357 patients with PMVT. Mean follow-up was 14.4 (SD: 16.3) months. The incidence of PMVT was found to be 0.50% (95%CI: 0.40-0.61%). The majority of the population presented with abdominal pain (91.8%) at an average of 22.4 days postoperatively and PMVT was mainly diagnosed with computed tomography (CT) (96.0%). Hematologic abnormalities predisposing to thrombophilia were identified in 34.9% of the population. Advanced age (p=0.02) and low center volume (p <0.0001) were significantly associated with PMVT, while gender, BMI, hematologic abnormality, prior history of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, type of prophylactic anticoagulation, and duration of prophylactic anticoagulation were not associated with the incidence of PMVT in meta-regression analyses. Treatment included therapeutic anticoagulation in 93.4% and the mortality rate was 4/357 (1.1%).

CONCLUSION

PMVT is a rare complication of sleeve gastrectomy with an incidence rate <1% that is associated with low center volume and advanced age but is not affected by the duration or type of thromboprophylaxis administered postoperatively.

Establishment and verification a nomogram for predicting portal vein thrombosis presence among admitted cirrhotic patients

Background

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is an increasingly recognized complication of cirrhosis and possibly associated with mortality. This study aims to evaluate provoking factors for PVT, then establish a concise and efficient nomogram for predicting PVT presence among admitted cirrhotic patients.

Materials and methods

All cirrhotic patients admitted in Hunan Provincial People's Hospital between January 2010 and September 2020 were retrospectively reviewed, the clinical and laboratory data were collected. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression method were used for screening the independent predictors and constructing the nomogram. The calibration curve was plotted to evaluate the consistent degree between observed outcomes and predicted probabilities. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was used to assess the discriminant performance. The decision curve analysis (DCA) was carried out to evaluate the benefits of nomogram.

Results

A total of 4,479 patients with cirrhosis were enrolled and 281 patients were identified with PVT. Smoking history, splenomegaly, esophagogastric varices, surgical history, red blood cell transfusion, and D-dimer were independent risk factors for PVT in cirrhosis. A nomogram was established with a good discrimination capacity and predictive efficiency with an the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.704 (95% CI: 0.664-0.745) in the training set and 0.685 (95% CI: 0.615-0.754) in the validation set. DCA suggested the net benefit of nomogram had a superior risk threshold probability.

Conclusion

A concise and efficient nomogram was established with good performance, which may aid clinical decision making and guide best treatment measures.

The Role of Thromboprophylaxis in Patients with Portal Vein Thrombosis: A Life-Threatening Complication after Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Following 8 Years of Experience in a Bariatric Center of Excellence

Porto-mesenteric vein thrombosis (PVMT) is a rare but life-threatening complication after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is considered the most common procedure for efficiently realizing weight loss and treating obesity-related co-morbidities. This study aimed to shed light on this relatively rare complication by presenting a series of patients who developed PMVT after LSG in light of the need to change the specific protocol of thromboprophylaxis in bariatric patients. We proposed to answer two questions: whether we should perform a thrombophilia workup as a standard practice and whether we should extend chemoprophylaxis to more than 3 weeks among all bariatric patients. This study also aimed to investigate the possible risk factors and eventually present our updated protocol for PMVT management and prophylaxis.

Independent predictors and timing of portomesenteric vein thrombosis after bariatric surgery

BACKGROUND

Portomesenteric vein thrombosis (PVT) is a rare complication following bariatric surgery but can result in severe morbidity as well as death.

OBJECTIVE

Identification of risk factors for PVT to facilitate targeted management strategies to reduce incidence.

SETTING

Prospective, statewide bariatric-specific clinical registry.

METHODS

We identified all patients who underwent primary bariatric surgery between June 2006 and November 2021 (n = 102,869). Patient characteristics, procedure type, operative details, and 30-day postoperative complications were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression to evaluate for independent predictors of PVT.

RESULTS

A total of 117 patients (.11%) developed a postoperative PVT, with 6 (5.1%) associated deaths. The majority of PVTs occurred in patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy (109 patients; 93.2%), and the PVT occurred most commonly during the second (37%), third (31%), and fourth weeks (23%) after surgery. Independent risk factors for PVT included a prior history of venous thromboembolism (odds ratio [OR] = 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.64-5.98; P = .0005), liver disorder (OR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.36-4.00; P = .0021), undergoing sleeve gastrectomy (OR = 12.4; 95% CI: 4.98-30.69; P < .0001), and postoperative complications including obstruction (OR = 12.5; 95% CI: 4.65-33.77; P < .0001), leak (OR = 7.9; 95% CI: 2.76-22.64; P = .0001), and hemorrhage (OR = 7.6; 95% CI: 3.57-16.06; P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Independent predictors of PVT include a prior history of venous thromboembolism, liver disease, undergoing sleeve gastrectomy, and experiencing a serious postoperative complication. Given that the incidence of PVT is most common within the first month after surgery, extending postdischarge chemoprophylaxis during this time frame is advised for patients with increased risk.