The Impact of Sleeve Gastrectomy on Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Patients with Morbid Obesity.

INTRODUCTION: The impact of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has not been widely quantified, and the data in the literature remain controversial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Candidates for LSG underwent barium swallow, esophageal manometry, ambulatory 24-h esophageal pH monitoring (APM), and gastric emptying scintigraphy before and after surgery (1 and 18 months). Symptoms were evaluated using a gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire (GERDq). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed preoperatively in all patients and at 18 months postoperatively in patients who had suffered from preoperative esophagitis. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients were included in the study (64.4% women and 34.6% men) with a median age of 46 years (25-63 years) and BMI of 45.0 ± 5.6 kg/m2. The follow-up rates at 1 and 18 months were 82.7% and 80.8%. At 18 months, the percentage of weight loss (%TWL) was 33.6 ± 10.4% and the percentage of excess BMI loss (%EBMIL) was 77.6 ± 25%. Postoperatively, a significant increase in accelerated gastric emptying and impaired esophageal body motility occurred at 1 and 18 months. A significant worsening of all the values obtained at both 1 and 18 months postoperatively becomes evident when comparing the results of the APM. After surgery, 76.4% of patients had developed "de novo" GERD at 1 month and 41% at 18 months. No improvement was found in patients with symptomatic GERD. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, LSG led to a considerable rate of postoperative "de novo" GERD. In addition, no improvement was found in patients with symptomatic GERD.

Mild acute biliary pancreatitis vs cholelithiasis: are there differences in the rate of choledocholithiasis?

The rate of choledocholithiasis at the time of elective surgery after mild acute biliary pancreatitis is still unclear because it decreases rapidly after the onset. The aims of this study are as follows: (1) To investigate whether the incidence of choledocholithiasis in mild biliary pancreatitis is higher than in patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis. (2) To evaluate the usefulness of intraoperative cholangiography in the diagnosis of unsuspected choledocholithiasis in mild pancreatitis. Prospective study including 130 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery and classified into two groups: mild biliary pancreatitis (n = 44) and symptomatic cholelithiasis (n = 86). Choledocholithiasis was evaluated by endoscopic cholangiopancreatography, magnetic resonance, and intraoperative cholangiography. Preoperatively, choledocholithiasis was identified in five patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis and two with biliary pancreatitis (5.81 vs 4.54%; p = 0.472). In 117 cases (90%), intraoperative cholangiography was successfully performed, identifying unsuspected choledocholithiasis in five patients of the colelithiasis group and in three in the group of pancreatitis (5.81 vs 6.81%; p = 0.492). The total number of patients with choledocholithiasis in the whole series was 15 (11.5%); 11.6% in colelithiasis group vs 11.4% in biliary pancreatitis group; p = 0.605. The rate of choledocholithiasis was not significantly different between the groups of patients with mild acute biliary pancreatitis and symptomatic cholelithiasis. Intraoperative cholangiography identified unsuspected choledocholithiasis in 6.81% of patients with mild acute biliary pancreatitis.