Outcomes After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Hyperkinetic Biliary Dyskinesia.

BACKGROUND: Biliary dyskinesia (BD) is a poorly understood functional gallbladder disorder. Diagnosis is made with abdominal pain and an intact gallbladder without signs of anatomical obstruction on imaging or pathology. Our aim was to assess whether laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) resolves hyperkinetic BD symptoms. METHODS: Records of patients ≥18 years of age, who underwent LC by four surgeons at a tertiary care center between 2012 and 2020, were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were excluded if they had a documented gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF) <80% or had biliary stones or sludge on pathology or imaging. Demographic information, HIDA results, preoperative testing, operative details, gallbladder pathology, and symptom status at follow-up were collected from electronic medical records. Improvement in BD symptoms was assessed using McNemar's test. Risk differences with standard errors were employed to estimate percent reduction in symptoms. RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients met inclusion criteria. Of those who presented for follow-up (n = 91), 92.3% (n = 84) reported partial or complete resolution of symptoms. Preoperative symptoms, including back pain (16.7%, 95% CI: [7.9%, 25.5%]; P < .0001), epigastric pain (31.1% [21.3%, 41.3%]; P < .0001), nausea (56.7% [45.0%, 65.8%]; P < .0001), RUQ pain (57.8% [46.1%, 66.9%]; P < .0001), and vomiting (27.8% [18.4%, 37.7%]; P < .0001) showed significant improvement after LC. Chronic cholecystitis and/or cholesterolosis were present on pathology in 79.8% of gallbladders. DISCUSSION: Our study currently represents the largest cohort of patients with hyperkinetic BD. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy appears to result in resolution of symptoms for this clinical entity.

Live Quality Assurance: Using a Multimedia Messaging Service Group Chat to Instantly Grade Intraoperative Images.

BACKGROUND: The technique for attaining photographic evidence of the critical view of safety (CVS) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has previously been defined; however, the consistency, accuracy, and feasibility of CVS in practice is unknown. The aim of this study was to use an already established image sharing and grading system to determine the feasibility of timely feedback after sharing intraoperative images of the CVS and to evaluate if and how cholecystitis affects the ability to attain a CVS. STUDY DESIGN: We studied 193 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed by 14 surgeons between August 2017 and January 2019. Anterior and posterior intraoperative CVS images were shared using a standard multimedia messaging system (MMS). Images were graded remotely by members of the group using an established scoring system, and their times to response and scores were recorded. Response data were analyzed for the ability to attain timely and consistent CVS scores. RESULTS: There were 74 urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomies for acute cholecystitis and 119 nonurgent cholecystectomies performed during the study period. Scoring of shared images occurred in less than 5 minutes, and peer review (mean 3 responses) showed agreement that was not significantly different. In patients with acute cholecystitis, a small but significant difference was observed between anterior and posterior image scoring agreement. CONCLUSIONS: An established image sharing and grading system for CVS can be used for real-time intraoperative feedback without increasing operative time or compromising private health information. The CVS is almost always attainable; however, decreases in CVS quality and grading agreement are observed in patients with acute cholecystitis.

Conversion from gastric bypass to sleeve gastrectomy for complications of gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: Complications after gastric bypass (RYGB) are well documented. Reversal of RYGB is indicated in select cases but can lead to weight gain. Conversion from RYGB to sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has been proposed for correction of complications of RYGB without associated weight gain. However, little is known about outcomes after this procedure. OBJECTIVES: To examine outcomes after conversion from RYGB to SG. SETTING: University hospital. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients who underwent RYGB to SG conversion was undertaken. RESULTS: Twelve patients underwent RYGB to SG conversion for refractory marginal ulceration, stricture, dumping, gastrogastric fistula, hypoglycemia, and failed weight loss. No deaths occurred. Four patients experienced 7 major complications, including portal vein thrombosis, bleeding, pancreatic leak, pulmonary embolus, seroma, anastomotic leak, and stricture. Two required reoperation, and 6 were readmitted within 30 days. Four required nasoenteric feeding postoperatively because of prolonged nausea. The complication of RYGB resolved in 11 of 12 patients. At 14.7 months, change in body mass index for all patients was a decrease of 2.2 kg/m(2). In 5 patients with morbid obesity at conversion, the change in body mass index was a decrease of 6.4 kg/m(2) at 19 months. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic conversion from RYGB to SG is successful in resolving certain complications of RYGB and does not result in short-term weight gain. However, conversion has a high rate of major complications as well as a high rate of readmission and need for supplemental nutrition. Although conversion to SG may be appropriate in carefully-selected patients, other options for patients with severe chronic complications after RYGB should be considered.

Surgery for obesity: a review of the current state of the art and future directions.

The number of patients undergoing surgery for the treatment of obesity, and the proportion of the health care budget dedicated to this health problem, is growing exponentially. There are several competing surgical approaches for the management of morbid obesity. We review the literature relating to four of these: gastric bypass, biliopancreatic diversion, gastric banding, and gastric pacing. Our review finds that while enhancing the malabsorptive activity of these procedures may induce an incremental increase in excess body weight loss, the proportion of patients who fail to lose more than 50% of their excess body weight is similar no matter how radical is the surgery performed. There is little guidance from the literature as to appropriate patient selection for the varying procedures, and anonymously reported registries have yet to show that patients who undergo bariatric surgery have enhanced longevity. To date, the bariatric surgical community has not conducted adequately powered randomized prospective trials to elucidate key elements of the surgical procedure such as optimal bypass length, to determine whether mixed operations are superior to those that offer intake restriction only, and to define what constitutes success after bariatric surgery. As a public health measure, bariatric surgery in the United States is being pursued in an irrational manner, being concentrated in areas where there are fewer morbidly obese patients, and used disproportionately among the population of white obese females.

Contemporary surgical management of obesity.

The incidence of overweight and obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States. The morbidity of obesity greatly influences the lives of those with this disease and upon the healthcare systems treating those afflicted with it. Currently, medical therapies are ineffective in both the prevention and treatment of obesity. Bariatric surgery has gained immense popularity over the past decade as it has been shown to be among the few means for which obesity can be successfully treated. This article reviews the current state of the art of bariatric surgery.