Amanda Stricklen

Technique or technology? Evaluating leaks after gastric bypass

OBJECTIVE To assess the relationship between technique and surgical devices on anastomotic and staple-line leaks after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. BACKGROUND Leaks after bariatric surgery remain a major source of morbidity and mortality. The association of surgical technique and devices with leaks after gastric bypass is poorly understood. SETTING Multi-centered study that included teaching and non-teaching hospitals that participate in a statewide consortium for quality improvement using a payer-funded outcome registry. METHODS We analyzed data from the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative and performed a case-control study comparing patients who sustained a leak with those who did not after primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. A total of 71 (.44%) patients with leaks were identified between January 2007 and December 2011. The leak group was matched 1:2 to a control group (nonleak) based on procedure type, age, body mass index, sex, and the year in which the procedure was performed. Technique-specific case characteristics and device-specific factors were assessed by reviewing operative notes from all primary bariatric procedures in our study population. RESULTS The rate of leak decreased during the study period, and there was a significant downward trend (slope estimate: -.19961%, P = .0372). After performing multivariate analysis, the type of anastomosis (circular stapler, hand-sewn, or linear stapler) and stapler manufacturer were not associated with leaks. The use of buttressing material was associated with a higher rate of leaks (odds ratio: 8.79 [95% confidence interval: 2.49-31.01], P = .0007), whereas the use of fibrin sealant was associated with a lower rate of leaks (odds ratio .11 [95% confidence interval: .03-.41], P = .0013). These findings could not be explained by differences in measures of surgeon performance. CONCLUSION Leak rates after laparoscopic gastric bypass have fallen in Michigan despite variations in technique and device utilization. Although the type of anastomosis and stapler manufacturer do not appear to be significantly associated with leaks, it appears that the use of buttressing material was more common in cases in which leaks occurred, whereas the use of fibrin sealant was not. Given the complex interplay of multiple variables that affect surgical outcomes, future studies justifying the benefits of operative devices should be evaluated prospectively in the context of surgeon technique and skill.

Evaluating the effect of operative technique on leaks after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a case-control study ☆

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of operative technique on staple line leaks after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). BACKGROUND Staple-line leaks after LSG are a major source of morbidity and mortality. Variations in operative technique exist; however, their effect on leaks is poorly understood. METHODS We analyzed data from the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative (MBSC) to perform a case-control study comparing patients who had a clinically significant leak after undergoing a primary LSG to those who did not. A total of 45 patients with leaks were identified between January 2007 and December 2013. The leak group was matched 1:2 to a control group based on procedure type, age, body mass index, sex, and year the procedure was performed. Technique-specific factors were assessed by reviewing operative notes from all primary bariatric procedures in our study population. Conditional logistic regression was used to identify techniques associated with leaks. To increase the power of our analysis, we used a significance level of .10. RESULTS Leak rates with LSG have decreased over the past 5 years (1.18% to .36%) as annual case volume has increased (846 cases/yr to 4435 cases/yr). Surgeons who performed 43 or more cases per year had a leak rate<1%. Leaks were more common among cases requiring a blood transfusion (26.2% versus 1.08%, P = .0031) and when cases were converted to open surgery (7.14% versus 0%, P = .0741). However, there was no significant difference in operative time between cases involving a leak and their matched controls (95.4 min versus 87.1 min, P = .1197). Oversewing of the staple line was the only technique associated with less leaks after controlling for confounding factors (OR .397 CI .174, .909, P = .0665). Notably, surgeons who oversewed routinely were also found to have higher case volume (307 versus 140, P = .0216) and less overall complication rates (4.81% versus 7.95%, P = .0027). Furthermore, oversewing technique varied widely as only 22.6% of cases involved oversewing of the entire staple line. CONCLUSION Despite considerable variation in operative technique, leak rates with laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy have decreased over time as operative volume has increased. Oversewing of the staple line was associated with fewer leaks, but specific suturing technique was not uniform and oversewing was performed routinely by more experienced surgeons with higher case volumes and less complication rates overall. Before standardizing surgical technique one must take into account variations in surgeon skill and experience.

Site-specific Approach to Reducing Emergency Department Visits Following Surgery

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of current bariatric perioperative measures at reducing emergency department (ED) visits following bariatric surgery in the state of Michigan. Summary of Background Data: Many ED visits following bariatric surgery do not result in readmission and may be preventable. Little research exists evaluating the efficacy of perioperative measures aimed at reducing ED visits in this population. Therefore, understanding the driving factors behind these preventable ED visits may be a fruitful approach to prevention. Furthermore, evaluating the efficacy of current perioperative measures may shed light on how to achieve meaningful reductions in ED visits. Methods: We studied 48,035 eligible bariatric surgery patients across 37 Michigan Bariatric Surgical Collaborative (MBSC) sites between January 2012 and October 2015. Hospitals were ranked according to their risk- and reliability-adjusted ED visit rates. For hospitals in each ED visit rate tercile, several patient, surgery, and hospital summary characteristics were compared. We then studied whether a hospitals compliance with specific perioperative measures was significantly associated with reduced ED visit rates. Results: Only 3 of the 30 surgery, hospital, and patient summary characteristics studied were significant predictors of a hospitals ED visit rate: rate of sleeve gastrectomies, rate of readmissions, and rate of venous thromboembolism complications (P = 0.04, P = 0.0065, and P = 0.0047, respectively). Also, a hospitals compliance with the perioperative measures evaluated was not a significant predictor of ED visit rates (P = 0.12). Conclusions: Current practices aimed at reducing ED visits appear to be ineffective. Due to heterogeneity in patient populations and local infrastructure, a more tailored approach to ED visit reduction may be more successful.

Factors Associated with Bariatric Surgery Utilization among Eligible Candidates: Who Drops Out?

BACKGROUND Bariatric surgery is underutilized. OBJECTIVES To identify factors associated with eligible patient dropout from bariatric surgery. SETTING University hospital, United States. METHODS Eligible candidates were identified after a multidisciplinary review committee (MRC) of all patients (n = 484) who attended a bariatric surgery informational session (BIS) at a single-center academic institution in 2015. We compared patients who underwent surgery within 2 years of BIS with those who did not (i.e., dropped out) by evaluating patient, insurance, and program-specific variables. Univariate analyses and multivariable regressions were performed to identify factors associated with patient dropout among eligible candidates. RESULTS We identified 307 (63%) patients who underwent MRC. Thirty-three (11%) patients were deemed poor candidates and surgery was not recommended. Among eligible candidates, 82 (30%) dropped out from the program. Factors independently associated with eligible patient dropout included coronary artery disease (odds ratio [OR] .13 [.02-.66]; P = .014), hypertension (OR .46 [.24-.87]; P = .017), time from BIS to MRC (OR .99 [.99-.99]; P = .002), 3 months of medically supervised weight loss documentation (OR .09 [.02-.51]; P = .007), endocrinology clearance (OR .26 [.09-.76]; P = .014), hematology clearance (OR .37 [.14-.95]; P = .039), urine drug screen testing (OR .31 [.13-.72]; P = .006), additional psychological evaluation (OR .43 [.20-.93]; P = .031), and required extra sessions with the dietician (OR .39 [.17-.92]; P = .032). Thirty-three (6.8%) patients underwent surgery at another institution, and 42% of these patients lived more than 50 miles from attended BIS site. CONCLUSIONS Twenty-seven percent of patients did not undergo bariatric surgery at their initial site of evaluation despite being considered eligible candidates after MRC. Dropout was independently associated with patient, insurance, and program-specific variables that may represent barriers to care amenable to improvement.

Understanding the psychosocial impact of weight loss following bariatric surgery: a qualitative study

BackgroundBariatric surgery leads to changes in mental health, quality of life and social functioning, yet these outcomes differ among individuals. In this study, we explore patients’ psychosocial experiences following bariatric surgery and elucidate the individual-level factors that may drive variation in psychosocial outcomes.MethodsEleven semi-structured focus groups with Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative (MBSC) patients (n = 77). Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Data on participant demographic characteristics were abstracted from the MBSC clinical registry.ResultsMost focus group participants were female (89%), white (64%), and married (65%). We identified three major themes: (1) change in self-perception; (2) change in perception by others; and (3) change in relationships. Each theme includes 3 sub-themes, demonstrating a range of positive and negative psychosocial experiences. For example, weight loss led to increased self-confidence among many participants while others described a loss of self-identity. Some noted improved relationships with family or friends while others experienced worsening or even loss of relationships due to perceived jealousy.ConclusionWeight loss following bariatric surgery leads to complex changes in self-perception and inter-personal relationships, which may be proximal mediators of commonly assessed mental health outcomes such as depression. Individuals considering bariatric surgery may benefit from anticipatory guidance about these diverse experiences, and post-surgical longitudinal monitoring should include evaluation for adverse psychosocial events.

Effect of Surgeon Age on Bariatric Surgery Outcomes.

Objective: This study sought to explore the relationship of bariatric surgeon age and patient outcomes. Background: Regulators, policy makers, and patient advocacy groups have recently been pushing to establish clear guidelines for physician retirement in the United States. Although it is often assumed that increasing physician age leads to worse patient outcomes, the relationship is lacking robust evidence, and is still unclear. Methods: We conducted a study analyzing all bariatric surgeons in Michigan who participated in a statewide collaborative quality improvement program (n = 71) who performed primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, or sleeve gastrectomy operations, and data on their patients (n = 60430) over the past 10 years. Our primary outcomes were 30-day postoperative complications. Odds ratios for overall complications and serious complications were calculated for each age group, and surgery type. Results: Late career surgeons had more bariatric surgery experience and had a higher average annual case volume than early career surgeons. Considering all cases in the past 10 years, older surgeons performed more Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (40%) and less sleeve gastrectomy (38.8%) than younger surgeons (34.7% and 51.5%). When adjusting for patient and surgeon characteristics, there were no statistically significant differences in overall or serious complication rates for either procedure among surgeon age groups. Conclusions: When evaluating bariatric surgeons in the State of Michigan, we found no statistically significant association between surgeon age and patient outcomes. Our findings do not provide evidence for age-specific retirement cut-offs, but support the development of guidelines which are holistic, and focus on evaluating and improving physician outcomes at all career levels.