Differences in open versus laparoscopic gastric bypass mortality risk using the Obesity Surgery Mortality Risk Score (OS-MRS).

BACKGROUND: The Obesity Surgery Mortality Risk Score (OS-MRS) was developed to ascertain preoperative mortality risk of patients having bariatric surgery. To date there has not been a comparison between open and laparoscopic operations using the OS-MRS. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there are differences in mortality risk between open and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) using the OS-MRS. SETTING: Three university-affiliated hospitals. METHODS: The 90-day mortality of 2467 consecutive patients who had primary open (1574) or laparoscopic (893) RYGB performed by one surgeon was determined. Univariate and multivariate analysis using 5 OS-MRS risk factors including body mass index (BMI) gender, age>45, presence of hypertension and preoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) risk was performed in each group. Each patient was placed in 1 of 3 OS-MRS risk classes based on the number of risks: A (0-1), B (2-3), and C (4-5). RESULTS: Preoperative BMI and DVT risk factors were significantly greater in the open group (OG). Preoperative age was significantly greater in the laparoscopic group (LG). There were significantly more class B and C patients in LG. Ninety-day mortality rates for OG and LG patients were 1.0% and .9%, respectively. Pulmonary embolism was the most common cause of death. All deaths in LG occurred during first 4 years of that experience. Mortality rate by class was A = .1%; B = 1.5%; C = 2.3%. The difference in mortality between class B and C patients was not significant. Univariate analysis in the OG indicated that BMI, age, gender, and DVT risk were significant predictors of mortality. In the LG only BMI and DVT were significant predictors of death. Presence of hypertension was not a significant predictor in either group. Multivariate analysis excluding hypertension found that age was predictive of mortality in the OG while BMI (P = .057) and gender (P = .065) approached statistical significance. Conversely, only BMI was predictive of mortality in the LG with age approaching significance (P = .058). In multivariate analysis DVT risk was not predictive of mortality in either group. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences in the predictive value of the OS-MRS between open and laparoscopic RYGB. Although laparoscopic patients were significantly older versus the open patients, age was not predictive of mortality after laparoscopic RYGB. BMI trended toward increased mortality risk in both groups. Changes in technique and protocol likely contributed toward no mortality during the last 6 years of our laparoscopic experience.

Impact of complete mesenteric closure on small bowel obstruction and internal mesenteric hernia after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: Although it is generally accepted that closure of mesenteric defects after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) reduces the incidence of small bowel obstruction (SBO), data supporting this belief are inconsistent. After a spike in acute SBO cases in our LRYGB patients, we changed our technique of mesenteric closure. The objective of this study was to determine whether modification of our technique of mesenteric closure would decrease the incidence of SBO and internal hernia after LRYGB. METHODS: The records of 872 consecutive patients who had antecolic LRYGB by 1 surgeon over a 9-year interval were reviewed for acute SBO. The first 654 patients, mean follow up = 100±12 months, had incomplete mesenteric closure versus complete closure in 218 remaining patients, mean follow up = 40±14 months. Minimum follow up was 1 year. RESULTS: Total incidence of acute SBO was 4.0% (35/872), including 4.4% (29/654) in the incomplete closure group versus 2.8% (6/218) in the complete closure patients. Seventeen (2.6%) of the incomplete closure patients with acute SBO had internal hernias versus 1 (.5%) in the complete closure group. Twenty-six patients with incomplete closure developed symptoms of SBO and subsequently had elective repair of mesenteric hernias versus none in complete closure group (P<.02). Postoperative morbidity and mortality rates after surgery for SBO were 30% and 7.4% in incomplete group versus zero in patients with complete closure. CONCLUSION: Complete closure of mesenteric defects in antecolic LRYGB resulted in a significant reduction in internal mesenteric hernias. Complications were also reduced after operations for SBO in patients who had complete mesenteric closure.

Treatment of gastric leaks after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a paradigm shift.

BACKGROUND: During the past decade, nonoperative treatment of leaks after bariatric surgery has been deemed acceptable in selected patients. The setting of our study was 2 university affiliated hospitals. METHODS: We reviewed gastric leaks in 1069 consecutive bariatric operations that were performed by 1 surgeon during the past 8 years, including 836 primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), 114 primary open RYGBs, and 119 revisional procedures. Drains were used routinely in the laparoscopic and revision groups and selectively in the open group. Perforations and jejunojejunostomy leaks were excluded. RESULTS: There were no leaks after open RYGB, 8 leaks (.95%) after laparoscopic RYGB, and 5 leaks (4.2%) after the revisional procedures. Of the 13 leaks, 7 occurred at the gastrojejunostomy, 6 at the staple line of the upper pouch, and none in the excluded stomach. Of the 8 postlaparoscopic RYGB leaks, 3 required reoperation versus 2 of 5 postrevision leaks. There were no perioperative deaths. All but 2 patients in the nonoperative group were treated with endoscopic injection of fibrin sealant (EIFS). Of the 4 leaks in the laparoscopic RYGB group, 2 treated by EIFS closed after 1 treatment; however, all leaks in the revision group required >1 EIFS treatment. The mean length of stay was 36 ± 34 days in the operative group and 33 ± 7 days in the EIFS patients. Operation for failure of EIFS was not required in any patient. CONCLUSION: EIFS provides safe and successful treatment of patients who develop gastric leaks after bariatric operations. We recommend EIFS for all patients with endoscopically accessible leaks who can safely be treated nonoperatively.

Rationale for reversal of failed bariatric operations.

BACKGROUND: No guidelines are available to assist surgeons in determining whether reversal is appropriate for patients with problematic bariatric operations. METHODS: A retrospective review of 2573 primary and 252 revisional bariatric operations was performed to determine the indications for the reversal of problematic bariatric operations. RESULTS: Of the 82 patients who had undergone reoperation for complications of the primary operation, 13 had undergone reversal rather than revision. Reversal was performed at the patient's request for 5 patients with intractable vomiting after banded restrictive operations and 2 patients with intractable diarrhea after jejunoileal bypass. The surgeon recommended reversal for the remaining 6 patients, including 3 with active substance abuse and 3 with severe metabolic complications. One postoperative complication (wound infection) occurred, with no deaths. CONCLUSION: The decision to reverse, rather than revise, a problematic bariatric operation is motivated by the perspective that the outcome of revision would also be problematic. Improved patient education and follow-up by the primary surgeon might have obviated the need for reversal in about one half of the patients in the present series.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, The Obesity Society, and American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery medical guidelines for clinical practice for the perioperative nutritional, metabolic, and nonsurgical support of the bariatric surgery patient.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, The Obesity Society, and American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery Medical Guidelines for Clinical Practice are systematically developed statements to assist health-care professionals in medical decision making for specific clinical conditions. Most of the content herein is based on literature reviews. In areas of uncertainty, professional judgment was applied. These guidelines are a working document that reflects the state of the field at the time of publication. Because rapid changes in this area are expected, periodic revisions are inevitable. We encourage medical professionals to use this information in conjunction with their best clinical judgment. The presented recommendations may not be appropriate in all situations. Any decision by practitioners to apply these guidelines must be made in light of local resources and individual patient circumstances. The American Society for Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition fully endorses sections of these guidelines that address the metabolic and nutritional management of the bariatric surgical patient.

Elective laparoscopy for herald symptoms of mesenteric/internal hernia after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: Mesenteric internal hernia (MIH) is the most common cause of small bowel obstruction (SBO) after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Because MIH is a potentially life-threatening complication, we hypothesized that elective repair of MIH before developing acute SBO could decrease morbidity in this population. METHODS: The records of 702 consecutive patients undergoing primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass from January 2002 and August 2007 were retrospectively reviewed to determine the incidence and etiology of SBO. During the last 9 months of the study, we offered elective laparoscopy to any patient who presented to us with symptoms of intermittent SBO. RESULTS: Of the 702 patients, 27 (3.8%) developed acute SBO. Of these 27 patients, 15 (55%) had obstruction related to an MIH. Nearly all patients had a typical history of intermittent abdominal pain, nausea, and bloating before developing acute SBO. Elective laparoscopy was offered to 11 patients with symptoms of intermittent SBO. Two patients who refused subsequently underwent operations for acute SBO. MIH was found at elective laparoscopic exploration in all cases. Of the 9 patients undergoing elective surgery, 3 (33%) had small bowel volvulus. CONCLUSION: SBO due to MIH after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is typically preceded by symptoms of intermittent obstruction. Patients who have these herald symptoms should promptly be offered elective laparoscopic exploration. Elective repair of MIH can be performed safely and expeditiously.

Revisional operations for marginal ulcer after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: Marginal ulcer is a potentially serious complication of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). This study reviewed 1 surgeon's experience with 39 revisional operations for intractable marginal ulcer after primary RYGB. METHODS: A total of 2282 consecutive patients underwent RYGB by 1 surgeon from 1984 to 2006, of which 1621 were open and 661 laparoscopic. The stomach was transected in laparoscopic RYGB and was left undivided in the open group. All revisions included ulcer excision, revision of the gastrojejunostomy with gastric transection as needed. Six patients underwent vagotomy. RESULTS: Of the 2282 patients, 122 (5.3%) developed marginal ulcers (88 and 34 from the open and laparoscopic group, respectively). Of these 122 patients, 39 (32%) underwent revision for intractability (35 open and 4 laparoscopic). Of these 39 patients, 28 (71.7%) had gastrogastric fistulas. Risk factors for ulcer (medication, smoking) were present in 26 patients (66.6%). The primary indications of intractability included abdominal pain (66.6%), gastrointestinal bleeding (20.5%), stomal obstruction (10.2%), and perforation (2.5%). Early postoperative complications included 2 leaks (5.1%) and 2 wound infections (5.1%). Three smokers (7.7%) developed recurrent ulcers postoperatively. One patient died of acute respiratory distress syndrome 5 months postoperatively. Of the 39 patients, 34 (87%) remained asymptomatic after revision. The revision rate was significantly less after laparoscopic RYGB (.6%) than after open RYGB (2.1%; P < or =.0025). CONCLUSION: The results of our study have shown that operations for intractable marginal ulcer after RYGB are highly successful in nonsmokers. Patients who undergo laparoscopic RYGB with gastric transection are less likely to require revision than patients who undergo RYGB with an incontinuity gastric partition. The rate of reoperation for marginal ulcer was greater than anticipated.

Blood lead levels and bone turnover with weight reduction in women.

High bone turnover states are known to raise blood lead levels (BPb). Caloric restriction will increase bone turnover, yet it remains unknown if weight reduction increases BPb due to mobilization of skeletal stores. We measured whole blood Pb levels ((206)Pb) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 73 women (age 24-75 years; BMI 23- 61 kg/m(2)) before and after 6 months of severe weight loss (S-WL), moderate weight loss (M-WL), or weight maintenance (WM). Baseline BPb levels were relatively low at 0.2-6.0 microg/dl, and directly associated with age (r=0.49, P<0.0001). After severe WL (-37.4+/-9.3 kg, n=17), BPb increased by 2.1+/-3.9 microg/dl (P<0.05), resulting in BPb levels of 1.3-12.5 microg/dl. M-WL (-5.6+/-2.7 kg, n=39) and WM (0.3+/-1.3 kg, n=17) did not result in an increase in BPb levels (0.5+/-3.2 and 0.0+/-0.7 microg/dl, M-WL and WM, respectively). BPb levels increased more with greater WL (r=0.24, P<0.05). Bone turnover markers increased only with severe WL and were directly correlated with WL. At baseline, higher calcium intake was associated with lower BPb (r=-0.273, P<0.02), however, this association was no longer present after 6 months. Severe weight reduction in obese women increases skeletal bone mobilization and BPb, but values remain well below levels defined as Pb overexposure.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, The Obesity Society, and American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery Medical Guidelines for Clinical Practice for the perioperative nutritional, metabolic, and nonsurgical support of the bariatric surgery patient.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, The Obesity Society, and American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery Medical Guidelines for Clinical Practice are systematically developed statements to assist healthcare professionals in medical decision making for specific clinical conditions. Most of the content herein is based on literature reviews. In areas of uncertainty, professional judgment was applied. These guidelines are a working document that reflects the state of the field at the time of publication. Because rapid changes in this area are expected, periodic revisions are inevitable. We encourage medical professionals to use this information in conjunction with their best clinical judgment. The presented recommendations may not be appropriate in all situations. Any decision by practitioners to apply these guidelines must be made in light of local resources and individual patient circumstances. The American Society for Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition fully endorses sections of these guidelines that address the metabolic and nutritional management of the bariatric surgical patient.

Weight loss outcome of revisional bariatric operations varies according to the primary procedure.

BACKGROUND: Revisional bariatric operations performed for weight loss failure are frequently associated with inconsistent weight reduction and serious perioperative complications. METHODS: Outcomes of 151 consecutive revisional operations performed by one surgeon for unsatisfactory weight loss were compared to determine whether postoperative weight loss is influenced by the type of primary procedure. Minimum follow-up was 12 months. RESULTS: Primary operations included 14 jejunoileal bypass (JIB): one revised to gastroplasty, 13 to RY gastric bypass; 71 gastroplasty/banding (GP/B): all revised to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB); and 66 gastric bypass: 49 revised to distal/malabsorptive RYGB, 12 restapled without malabsorption, and 5 loop bypasses revised to standard RYGB. Perioperative morbidity/mortality rates were 21.8% and 1.3%, respectively. Follow-up at 12 months was 93%. Mean weight/body mass index unit loss after revision of JIB was 90 pounds/17 units versus 113 pounds/16 units after revision of GP/B and 71 pounds/11 units after revision of gastric bypass (P < or = 0.05) with corresponding mean percent of excess weight loss of 51% for JIB, 56% for GP/B, and 48% for gastric bypass. Five of the JIB revisions (38%) lost > or = 50% excess weight loss versus 39 of the GP/B revisions (61%) and 28 of the gastric bypass revisions (48%). Comorbidities improved/resolved in 100% of those who lost > or = 50% of excess weight versus 89% who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Weight loss after revision of pure restrictive operations is significantly better than after revision of operations with malabsorptive components. Improvement of comorbidities in the great majority of patients justifies revision of all types of bariatric operations for unsatisfactory weight loss.

Impact of technological advances on complications of revisional bariatric operations.

BACKGROUND: Revisional bariatric operations are technically challenging and are associated with a high perioperative complication rate. Several parameters were analyzed to determine whether experience, coupled with technical innovation, reduced complications after these high-risk procedures. STUDY DESIGN: Outcomes of 215 consecutive revisional bariatric operations performed by 1 surgeon during the past 22 years were assessed before and after routine use of 6-row endostaplers and harmonic scalpel, which began in 2001. RESULTS: All but 3 operations were performed open, including 151 for weight loss failure (14 jejunoileal bypass, 71 gastroplasty or banding, 66 gastric bypass) and 64 for complications of the primary procedure (12 jejunoileal bypass, 11 gastroplasty or banding, 41 gastric bypass). Major perioperative complications occurred in 45 patients (21%): there were 15 leaks, 11 wound infections, 3 pulmonary embolisms, and 16 miscellaneous, including 3 deaths (1.4%). Morbidity after January 2001 was 6 of 73 (8.2%) versus 39 of 138 (28%) before 2001 (p < 0.0005). All deaths occurred before 2001. Complications occurred in 10 of 97 patients (10.3%) who had primary gastric restrictive operations (excluding banding) by the author versus 24 of 65 patients (36.9%) who had similar primary operations by other surgeons (p < 0.0001). Morbidity after second revisions was 70% versus 14.4% after first revisions (p < 0.0001). The 32 most recent patients were discharged in a mean of 3.0 days without complications. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating the endostaplers and harmonic scalpel into open revisional operations significantly reduced postoperative complications. Because these 2 devices were introduced during the last 5 years of this study, it seems likely that cumulative experience also contributed to improved outcomes. Our results also suggest that surgeons perform their initial revisions on their own patients rather than on patients who had primary procedures elsewhere. Patients presenting as candidates for a second revision should be cautiously evaluated, anticipating a high morbidity rate.

Adding malabsorption for weight loss failure after gastric bypass.

OBJECTIVE: To present a technique of revisional RY gastric bypass in patients with unsatisfactory weight loss after primary gastric bariatric operations. METHODS: The Roux limb was lengthened by creating a 75-100 cm common channel below the enteroenterostomy with concomitant revision of the gastrojejunostomy. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients had this distal modification of RYGB including 47 patients who had primary gastric bypass and 7 patients who failed pure restrictive operations. Mean excess weight loss was 47.9% in patients followed for > or = 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: This distal modification of RYGB resulted in satisfactory weight loss for nearly half of the 54 patients in this series.

Complications at gastrojejunostomy after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: comparison between 21- and 25-mm circular staplers.

BACKGROUND: Complications involving the gastrojejunostomy (GJ) after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) for morbid obesity frequently result in hospital readmission and additional procedures. The purpose of this study was to compare the complication rate of GJ performed with the 21- and 25-mm circular staplers. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the incidence of stricture, bleeding, ulcer, and leak at the GJ in 438 consecutive patients who had undergone LRYGB. RESULTS: The GJ was performed using the 25-mm stapler in 374 patients and the 21-mm stapler in 64 patients. Of the 50 anastomotic complications, 11 (17.2%) occurred with the 21-mm stapler, including 6 strictures (9.4%), 4 ulcers (6.3%), and 1 leak (1.6%), and 39 (10.4%) with the 25-mm stapler, including 11 strictures (2.9%), 6 acute bleeding episodes (1.6%), 19 ulcers (5.4%), and 4 leaks (1.1%). Rehospitalization was required in 9 patients (47%) with a pure stricture and 17 (74%) with ulcers. The incidence of pure stricture was significantly greater in the GJ performed with the 21-mm than with the 25-mm stapler (P = .026, Fisher's exact test). No difference was found in the rate of acute bleeding, leak, or ulcer between the 2 groups. All strictures resolved with balloon dilation. Four patients with stenotic ulcers that failed to respond to dilation and medications required operative revision. No difference was found in postoperative weight loss between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Anastomotic complications were recognized in 50 (11.4%) of 438 patients who had undergone LRYGB in which the GJ was performed using circular staplers, including 11 (17.2%) with the 21-mm and 39 (10.2%) with the 25-mm stapler. The rate of anastomotic stricture was significantly lower using the 25-mm circular stapler.