Fernando Maluenda

Results of gastric bypass plus resection of the distal excluded gastric segment in patients with morbid obesity

Surgical treatment is the procedure of choice for morbidly obese patients. Gastric bypass with a long limb Roux-en-Y anastomosis is the gold standard technique for these patients. We sought to determine the early and late results of open gastric bypass with resection of the distal excluded stomach in patients with morbid obesity. We included in this prospective study 400 patients who were seen from September 1999 through August 2003 (311 women and 89 men; mean age, 38.5 years). The mean body mass index of the patients was 46 kg/m2. All underwent 95% distal gastrectomy, with resection of the bypassed stomach, leaving a small gastric pouch of 15 to 20 ml. An end-to-side gastrojejunostomy was performed with circular stapler No. 25. The length of the Roux-en-Y loop was 125 to 150 cm. In all patients, a biopsy was taken from the liver and routine cholecystectomy was performed. Follow-up was as long as 36 months. A barium study was performed in all patients at 5 days after surgery. Mortality and postoperative morbidity rates were 0.5% and 4.75%, respectively, mainly due to anastomotic leak in 10 patients (2.5%). Hospital length of stay was 7 days for 95% of the patients. Follow-up data for longer than 12 months were available in 184 patients. There was excess body weight loss of 70% at 24 and 36 months, and there was an inverse correlation among preoperative body mass index and the loss of weight. Anemia was present in 10%, and incisional hernia was present in 10.2%. At 1 year after surgery, the BAROS index demonstrated very good or excellent index in 96.6% of the patients. Gastric bypass with resection of the distal excluded segment has results very similar to those of gastric bypass alone but eliminates the potential risks of gastric bypass such as anastomotic ulcer, gastrogastric fistula, postoperative bleeding due to peptic ulcer and gastritis, and the eventual future development of gastric cancer. It is also possible to perform via laparoscopy, as we started to do recently.

Conservative Management of Anastomotic Leaks after 557 Open Gastric Bypasses

Background: One of the most serious complications after gastric bypass is an anastomotic leak. In a prospective surgical protocol for the management of this complication, the authors determined the incidence of anastomotic leaks Methods: From August 1999 to January 2005, 557 patients with morbid obesity were submitted to laparotomic resectional gastric bypass. In all patients a left drain was placed during surgery. All patients had a radiological study with liquid barium sulphate on the 5th postoperative day. After the occurrence of an anastomotic leak, the daily output of the leak was carefully measured. Results: 12 patients developed an anastomotic leak at the gastrojejunostomy. All were managed medically, with antibiotics if necessary, enteral or parenteral feeding and frequent control by imaging procedures. In 8 patients, the left drain was maintained in situ up to 43 days after surgery. In 4 patients, the drain had been removed between the 5th and 8th days after surgery after a normal radiologic study, but had to be inserted under radiological control 2-3 weeks after the gastric bypass. Daily output increased significantly the second week after surgery, and the leak closed at a mean of 30 days after surgery. One patient of the 12 (8%) died 32 days after surgery from septic shock, without any abdominal collection secondary to the leak. Conclusion: The occurrence of an anastomotic leak is nearly 2% after gastric bypass. The majority of them can be managed medically, without the need for a reoperation, due to the fact that there is no acid production in the small gastric pouch and there is no intestinal reflux due to the long Roux loop.

A new physiologic approach for the surgical treatment of patients with Barrett's esophagus: technical considerations and results in 65 patients.

OBJECTIVEnTo determine the results of a new surgical procedure for patients with Barretts esophagus.nnnSUMMARY BACKGROUND DATAnIn addition to pathologic acid reflux into the esophagus in patients with severe gastroesophageal reflux and Barretts esophagus, increased duodenoesophegeal reflux has been implicated. The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of a new bile diversion procedure in these patients.nnnMETHODSnSixty-five patients with Barretts esophagus were included in this study. A complete clinical, radiologic, endoscopic, and bioptic evaluation was performed before and after surgery. Besides esophageal manometry, 24-hour pH studies and a Bilitec test were performed. After surgery, gastric emptying of solids, gastric acid secretion, and serum gastrin were determined. All patients underwent highly selective vagotomy, antireflux procedure (posterior gastropexy with cardial calibration or fundoplication), and duodenal switch procedure, with a Roux-en-Y anastomosis 60 cm in length.nnnRESULTSnNo deaths occurred. Morbidity occurred in 14% of the patients. A significant improvement in symptoms, endoscopic findings, and radiologic evaluation was achieved. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure increased significantly (p < 0.0001), as did abdominal length and total length of the sphincter (p < 0.0001). The presence of an incompetent sphincter decreased from 87.3% to 20.9% (p < 0.0001). Three of seven patients with dysplasia showed disappearance of this dysplasia. Serum gastrin and gastric emptying of solids after surgery remained normal. Basal and peak acid output values were low. Twenty-four hour pH studies showed a mean value of 24.8% before surgery, which decreased to 4.8% after surgery (p < 0.0001). The determination of the percentage time with bilirubin in the esophagus was 23% before surgery; this decreased to 0.7% after surgery (p < 0.0001). Late results showed Visick I and II gradation in 90% of the patients and grade III and IV in 10% of the patients.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThis physiologic approach to the surgical treatment of patients with Barretts esophagus produces a permanent decrease of acid secretion (and avoids anastomotic ulcer), decreases significantly acid reflux into the esophagus, and abolishes duodenoesophageal reflux permanently. Significant clinical improvement occurs, and dysplastic changes at Barretts epithelium disappear in almost 50% of the patients.

Prospective randomized study comparing three surgical techniques for the treatment of gastric outlet obstruction secondary to duodenal ulcer

A prospective randomized clinical trial was performed in order to evaluate the results of three surgical techniques for the treatment of gastric outlet obstruction secondary to duodenal ulcer. Ninety patients with clinical and laboratory evidence of gastric retention were enrolled. After laparotomy, patients underwent either highly selective vagotomy (HSV) + gastrojejunostomy, HSV + Jaboulay gastroduodenostomy, or selective vagotomy (SV) + antrectomy. One patient died after HSV + Jaboulay gastroduodenostomy due to postoperative acute pancreatitis. There were no differences in the postoperative course of the three groups. Patients were followed for a mean of 98 months (range: 30 to 156 months). There was a significantly better result after HSV + gastrojejunostomy than after Jaboulay anastomosis (p < 0.01), but not after SV + antrectomy. Gastric acid reduction was similar in the small group of patients studied. We propose HSV + gastrojejunostomy as the treatment of choice in patients with duodenal ulcer and gastric outlet obstruction.

Histological findings of gallbladder mucosa in 95 control subjects and 80 patients with asymptomatic gallstones

The histological appearance of gallbladdermucosa in 95 control subjects and in 80 patients withasymptomatic gallstones separated according to age andsex was determined in a prospective study. The number and size of stones in the latter group werealso analyzed. Among controls, 33% showed abnormalhistological findings, mainly chronic cholecystitis,which increased with age and was frequently seen among women. All patients with asymptomaticgallstones showed chronic cholecystitis and/orcholesterolosis, and 5% showed acute inflammatorychanges. In 55% of them a single stone was found. Thesefindings suggest that chronic inflammatory changes can occur inthe gallbladder mucosa prior to the appearance ofmacroscopic stones at the gallbladder.

Laparoscopic Highly Selective Vagotomy: Technical Considerations and Preliminary Results in 119 Patients with Duodenal Ulcer or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Abstract. The technical considerations and preliminary results of 119 patients submitted to laparoscopic highly selective vagotomy are presented. There were 33 with duodenal ulcers, 31 with duodenal ulcers plus gastroesophageal reflux, and 55 with gastroesophageal reflux. Operating time varied from 120 to 160 minutes. Six complications occurred: four perforations of the gastric fundus and two bleeding episodes. Conversion to open surgery was done in four cases and reoperation in one case. No deaths occurred, and the mean hospital stay was 3 days. The mean follow-up was 16 months, being 94% of the cases with Visick I or II and 6% with Visick III or IV. This technique is completely feasible by laparoscopic procedure and reproduces exactly what has been done with the laparotomy approach.