Patients with psychiatric comorbidity can safely undergo bariatric surgery with equivalent success.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with psychiatric disorder were reported to have a poor outcome in bariatric surgery. Few studies have examined the outcome of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) in patients with psychiatric history. We aimed to compare excess weight loss (%EWL) in patients with and without psychiatric comorbidities who underwent LSG or LAGB. METHODS: Patients undergoing LSG or LAGB were identified from our prospective database. A multidisciplinary team evaluated all patients preoperatively, including a psychological evaluation. Patients with the diagnosis of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia were included in the psychiatric comorbidity group (PSY). Others were included in group NON-PSY. All patients were first screened to be psychologically stable to undergo surgery. Initial BMI and %EWL at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively were compared. RESULTS: A total of 590 patients (81.4 % women), with a median BMI of 43.8 kg/m(2) (range 30-99) who underwent LSG (n = 222) or LAGB (n = 368) from January 2006 to June 2013, were identified. Psychiatric comorbidities that were well controlled at the time of surgery were found in 188 patients (31.9%). Diagnostic criteria for depression were met in 154 patients (26.1%), 75 patients suffered from anxiety (12.7%), 9 from bipolar disorder, and 4 from schizophrenia (0.7%). Initial BMI was not different between the two groups. No significant difference in %EWL between the groups was found during follow-up (44.13 vs. 43.37%EWL, respectively, at 1 year; p = 0.76). When LSG and LAGB patients were analyzed as subsets, again no difference in %EWL at 1 year was found for PSY vs. NON-PSY (LSG: 51.56 vs. 54.86%EWL; LAGB: 38.48 vs. 38.45%EWL, all p = ns). In multivariate analysis, the differences from unadjusted analysis persisted. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that a similar %EWL can be achieved in patients undergoing LSG or LAGB despite the presence of well-controlled psychiatric comorbidity.

Phase II clinical experience and long-term follow-up using the next-generation single-incision platform FMX314.

BACKGROUND: Single-incision minimally invasive surgery has previously been associated with incisions 2.0-3.0 cm in length. We present a novel single-incision surgical platform compatible for insertion through a standard 15-mm trocar we previously described in six patients with short-term follow-up data. The objective of this phase II study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the platform in a larger collective and to evaluate 1-year follow-up data of the phase I trial. METHODS: The technology features a multiple-use introducer, accommodating the articulating instruments, and is inserted through a 15-mm laparoscopic trocar. Cholecystectomy is performed through an umbilical incision. A prospective feasibility study was performed at a single center. Inclusion criteria were age of 18-75 years and biliary colic, exclusion criteria were acute cholecystitis, dilation of the biliary tree, severe coagulopathy, BMI > 40 kg/m(2), or choledocholithiasis. Endpoints included complications, length of stay, pain medication, cosmetic results, and the presence of hernia. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (23 females; phase I: 6 patients, phase II: 21 patients) with an average age of 41.7 years and BMI 26.6 kg/m(2) were recruited for the study. Umbilical incision length did not exceed 15 mm. There were no intraoperative complications. Average OR time decreased from 91 min for the first six cases to 56 min for the last six cases. Average length of stay was 7.8 h. Pain control was achieved with diclofenac for no more than 7 days. All patients had no adverse events at 5-month follow-up, and all phase I patients had no adverse events nor evidence of umbilical hernia at 1 year. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that single-incision cholecystectomy with the platform is feasible, safe, and reproducible in a larger patient population. Long-term follow-up showed no hernias or other adverse events. Further studies will be needed to evaluate longer-term hernia rates.

Nonpharmacologic control of postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias using AV nodal fat pad stimulation in a young animal open heart surgical model.

BACKGROUND: Supraventricular arrhythmias (junctional ectopic tachycardia [JET] and atrial tachyarrhythmias) frequently complicate recovery from open heart surgery in children and can be difficult to manage. Medical treatment of JET can result in significant morbidity. Our goal was to develop a nonpharmacological approach using autonomic stimulation of selective fat pad (FP) regions of the heart in a young canine model of open heart surgery to control 2 common postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eight mongrel dogs, varying in age from 5 to 8 months and weighting 22±4 kg, underwent open heart surgery replicating a nontransannular approach to tetralogy of Fallot repair. Neural stimulation of the right inferior FP was used to control the ventricular response to supraventricular arrhythmias. Right inferior FP stimulation decreased baseline AV nodal conduction without altering sinus cycle length. AV node Wenckebach cycle length prolonged from 270±33 to 352±89 ms, P=0.02. Atrial fibrillation occurred in 7 animals, simulating a rapid atrial tachyarrhythmias. FP stimulation slowed the ventricular response rate from 166±58 to 63±29 beats per minute, P<0.001. Postoperative JET occurred in 7 dogs. FP stimulation slowed the ventricular rate during postoperative JET from 148±31 to 106±32 beats per minute, P<0.001, and restored sinus rhythm in 7/7 dogs. CONCLUSIONS: Right inferior FP stimulation had a selective effect on the AV node, and slowed the ventricular rate during postoperative JET and atrial tachyarrhythmias in our young canine open heart surgery model. FP stimulation may be a useful new technique for managing children with JET and atrial tachyarrhythmias.

The impact of age and Medicare status on bariatric surgical outcomes.

HYPOTHESIS: Medicare status and increasing age are associated with poor outcomes from bariatric surgical procedures. DESIGN: Survey. SETTING: National sample of hospitalized patients in the United States. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTION: Adult patients undergoing bariatric surgery in 2001 and 2002. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mortality and adverse events. RESULTS: We assessed 25 428 bariatric procedures with logistic regression, finding that age (odds ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.07), male sex (odds ratio, 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.48-4.03), electrolyte disorders (odds ratio, 13.91; 95% confidence interval, 8.29-23.33), and congestive heart failure (odds ratio, 4.96; 95% confidence interval, 2.52-9.77) were independent risk factors for bariatric surgery mortality. Adverse outcomes increased as a function of age in a nearly linear fashion, with a steep increase after the age of 65 years. Most Medicare patients undergoing these operations were younger than 65 years and had a much greater disease burden than non-Medicare patients. CONCLUSIONS: Age, male sex, electrolyte disorders, and congestive heart failure were independent risk factors for bariatric surgical mortality. Limiting bariatric surgical procedures to those younger than 65 years is warranted because of the high morbidity and mortality associated with these operations in older patients.