Transversus abdominis plane block with liposomal bupivacaine and its effect on opiate use after weight loss surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Liposomal bupivacaine (LB), as an extended-release local anesthetic, may provide lasting pain control and therefore decrease the need for narcotics in the immediate postoperative period. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block with LB decreased the use of postoperative narcotics compared with regular bupivacaine (RB) and no TAP block in patients undergoing weight loss procedures. SETTING: A large, metropolitan, university-affiliated, tertiary hospital. METHODS: Patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, or sleeve-to-bypass conversion over 1 year were randomized to receive TAP block using LB, TAP block with RB, or no block in a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. The outcomes measured were postoperative use of opiates, pain score, length of stay, time to ambulation, and nausea. Data were analyzed using χ2 test and analysis of variance F test. RESULTS: Two hundred nineteen patients were included in the study. Fentanyl patient-controlled analgesia usage was not significantly different between the groups (LB 351.4 versus RB 360.7 versus no TAP block 353.9, P = .97) at 48 hours post operation. The pain scores (scale 1-10) were similar among the groups with the mean for the LB group at 4.3, and RB and no TAP block groups both at 4.7 (P = .35). The type of block or lack of block did not significantly impact the length of stay, time to ambulation, or presence of nausea. CONCLUSION: The LB TAP block did not significantly reduce the total opiate pain medication consumption nor did it reduce pain scores among bariatric surgery patients.

A Single-center Experience Examining the Length of Stay and Safety of Early Discharge After Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery.

PURPOSE: This study's objective was to describe our experience and evaluate the safety of early discharge (ED) following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) in a specific patient population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing LRYGB at Montefiore Medical Center were retrospectively reviewed. Patients readmitted in the first 30 days following surgery were compared to those patients who were not readmitted. Data analysis was used to compare groups and to determine factors associated with readmission. In addition to patient demographics, length of stay (LOS) was analyzed as an independent risk factor for readmission. RESULTS: A total of 630 LRYGB were performed during this period. There were 5.1% (n = 32) of patients that required readmission within 30 days of discharge. Readmitted patients had a higher BMI (50.0 vs. 45.8; p = 0.006) and there was a trend for them to be younger (38.4 years vs. 42.0; p = 0.07). There was an increased rate of ED in 2015 (36.7%, n = 121) compared to 2014 (29.9%, n = 90). The readmission rate for ED for the study period was 4.7% (n = 10). There were no observed mortalities in our early discharge group of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Discharge on post-operative day 1 following a LRYGB is safe and is not associated with an increased likelihood of being readmitted within 30 days of discharge. Our single-center experience helps to better characterize current patient profiles and length of stay trends within the field and can be used to establish a randomized controlled trial for discharging patients early after LRYGB.

Is weight loss better sustained with long-limb gastric bypass in the super-obese?

BACKGROUND: While some studies have shown that long-limb gastric bypass with Roux limb length of 150 to 200 cm can attain better weight loss outcomes in super-obese patients (BMI >50 kg/m(2)) than the standard limb gastric bypass with Roux limb length of 100 to 150 cm, other studies have not shown similar findings. Additionally, no study has demonstrated the optimal length of the Roux limb that will result in ideal weight loss. The purpose of this study is to compare the long-term weight loss and weight regain of standard limb length (SLL) and long limb length (LLL) gastric bypass in patients with BMI >50 kg/m(2). METHODS: A total of 120 patients with BMI >50 kg/m(2) underwent either SLL (total bypass length = 200, biliopancreatic limb = 50-80 cm, Roux limb = 120-150 cm) or LLL (total bypass length = 250 biliopancreatic limb = 50-80 cm, Roux limb = 170-200 cm) RYGB. The excess weight loss (EWL), the weight regain, and the rate of complications were measured at 1-, 2-, and 3-year follow-up. Statistical comparisons were performed using t-test. RESULTS: There was no difference in patient demographics, pre-operative BMI, or comorbidities between the two groups: SLL (n = 55) and LLL (n = 65). In comparing standard- to long-limb cohorts, preoperative BMI was 56.1 ±5.34 vs. 57.5 ± 6.05 kg/m(2), respectively. There was no statistical difference in percent EWL at 1, 2, and 3 years between the two groups [55.2 vs. 55 (P = 0.933), 61.5 vs. 60.8 (P = 0.831), and 61.1 vs.60 (P = 0.932)]. There was no difference in percent weight regain between the two groups, 11.2 (SLL) and 5.2 (LLL) (P = 0.13). The rates of complications were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSION: There is no difference in weight loss or weight regain between the SLL and LLL RYGB. Longer-limb gastric bypass is not required in patients with BMI >50 kg/m(2) for them to obtain long-term, sustained weight loss.

Re-emergence of diabetes after gastric bypass in patients with mid- to long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes (T2DM) improves or resolves shortly after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Few data are available on T2DM recurrence or the effect of weight regain on T2DM status. METHODS: A review of 42 RYGB patients with T2DM and >or=3 years of follow-up and laboratory data was performed. Postoperative weight loss and T2DM status was assessed. Recurrence or worsening was defined as hemoglobin A1c >6.0% and fasting glucose >124 mg/dL and/or medication required after remission or improvement. Patients whose T2DM recurred or worsened were compared with those whose did not, and patients whose T2DM improved were compared with those whose T2DM resolved. RESULTS: T2DM had either resolved or improved in all patients (64% and 36%, respectively); 24% (10) recurred or worsened. The patients with recurrence or worsening had had a lower preoperative body mass index than those without recurrence or worsening (47.9 versus 52.9 kg/m2; P = .05), regained a greater percentage of their lost weight (37.7% versus 15.4%; P = .002), had a greater weight loss failure rate (63% versus 14%; P = .03), and had greater postoperative glucose levels (138 versus 102 mg/dL; P = .0002). Patients who required insulin or oral medication before RYGB were more likely to experience improvement rather than resolution (92% versus 8%, P

Noninvasive evaluation of active lower gastrointestinal bleeding: comparison between contrast-enhanced MDCT and 99mTc-labeled RBC scintigraphy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to compare contrast-enhanced MDCT and (99m)Tc-labeled RBC scanning for the evaluation of active lower gastrointestinal bleeding. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Over 17 months, 55 patients (32 men, 23 women; age range, 21-92 years) were evaluated prospectively with contrast-enhanced MDCT using 100 mL of iopromide 300 mg I/mL. Technetium-99m-labeled RBC scans were obtained on 41 of 55 patients and select patients underwent angiography for attempted embolization. Each imaging technique was reviewed in a blinded fashion for sensitivity for detection of active bleeding as well as the active lower gastrointestinal bleeding location. RESULTS: Findings were positive on both examinations in eight patients and negative on both examinations in 20 patients. Findings were positive on contrast-enhanced MDCT and negative on (99m)Tc-labeled RBC in two patients; findings were negative on contrast-enhanced MDCT and positive on (99m)Tc-labeled RBC in 11 patients. Statistics showed significant disagreement, with simple agreement = 68.3%, kappa = 0.341, and p = 0.014. Sixteen of 60 (26.7%) contrast-enhanced MDCT scans were positive prospectively, with all accurately localizing the site of bleeding and identification of the underlying lesion in eight of 16 (50%). Nineteen of 41 (46.3%) (99m)Tc-labeled RBC scans were positive. Eighteen of 41 matched patients went on to angiography. In four of these 18 (22.2%) patients, the site of bleeding was confirmed by angiography, but in 14 of 18 (77.8%), the findings were negative. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced MDCT and (99m)Tc-labeled RBC scanning show significant disagreement for evaluation of active lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Contrast-enhanced MDCT appears effective for detection and localization in cases of active lower gastrointestinal bleeding in which hemorrhage is active at the time of CT.