Jorge Rojas C

Evolución de comorbilidades metabólicas asociadas a obesidad después de cirugía bariátrica

Two hundred thirty two morbid obese patientssubjected to gastric bypass, were evaluated in the preoperative period and every three monthsafter surgery, during a minimum of 12 months. Clinical evolution, blood glucose, seruminsulin, insulin resistance measured with the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) andserum lipid levels were analyzed.

Obesidad: factor de riesgo para esteatohepatitis y fibrosis hepática

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) has been recognized as a cause of chronic liver disease. Its main risk factor is obesity. Aim: To describe the clinical and liver pathological findings in a group of patients who underwent surgery as obesity treatment. Patients and Methods: Sixty eight patients with severe or morbid obesity were subjected to surgery as obesity treatment. Each patient was evaluated with a complete clinical and laboratory medical assessment. A wedge of liver was excised during surgery. Liver biopsies were analyzed without knowledge of clinical and laboratory findings. The presence of steatosis, inflammation (portal or lobular), fibrosis and cirrhosis were recorded in the pathological analysis. Age and body mass index (BMI) were correlated with pathological data. Significance was set at a p value of less than 0.05. Results: Ninety one percent of patients had steatosis, 45% inflammation and 47% fibrosis. One patient had cirrhosis (1,4%). There was a statistically significant association between BMI and moderate or severe steatosis (p <0.03). There was also an association between BMI and portal (p=0.017) and lobular inflammation (p=0.034). A BMI over 40 kg/m2 (morbid obesity) was significantly associated with the presence of fibrosis (p=0.032). Moreover, the presence of moderate or severe steatosis was a risk factor for the development of hepatic fibrosis (p=0.026). Conclusions: Obesity is a major and independent risk factor for steatohepatitis and fibrosis. The degree of steatosis in the liver biopsy, is a risk factor for the development of fibrosis (Rev Med Chile 2002; 130: 731-6)

Resultados premilinares de la gastroplastia horizontal con anastomosis en Y de Roux como cirugía bariática en pacientes con obesidad severa y mórbida

Background: Morbidly obese subjects have a high incidence of complications. The poor results of dietary treatments, has prompted the search of new therapies for obesity and among these, surgical procedures. Aim: To report the long term results of horizontal gastroplasty with Roux en Y anastomosis in morbidly obese subjects. Patients and methods: Fifty patients with an initial body mass index of 41.3 ± 6 kg/m2 have been subjected to a horizontal gastroplasty with Roux en Y anastomosis. During the study period, surgical techniques were modified, reducing the gastric pouch size, adding a truncal vagotomy, cholecystectomy, and increasing the length of the Roux en Y loop from 70 to 100 cm. Twenty five patients have been followed for two years. Results: There was no operative mortality and one patient had an anastomotic leak that required 35 days of hospitalization. During follow up, in one patient, the stapled suture line loosened. After two years of follow up, weight decreased from 112 ± 19 to 77.2 ± 14 kg. Conclusions: Horizontal gastroplasty with Roux en Y anastomosis achieved an adequate weight loss with a low rate of complications in this group of morbidly obese subjects.

Reflujo gastroesofágico patológico en pacientes con obesidad severa, mórbida e hiper obesidad

Background: Overweight can be a risk factor for pathological gastroesophageal reflux or hiatal hernia. Aim: To study the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux in patients with severe obesity. Patients and methods: Sixty seven patients, 51 female, aged 17 to 56 years old with a body mass index over 35 kg/m2, were studied. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed in all, esophageal manometry was done in 32 and 24 h pH monitoring was done in 32 patients. Results: Seventy nine percent of patients complained of heartburn and 66% of regurgitation. In 16 patients, endoscopy was normal. An erosive esophagitis was found in 33 patients, a short columnar epithelium in 12 and a Barret esophagus with intestinal metaplasia in six. Normal endoscopic findings and erosive esophagitis were present with a higher frequency in women. No association between the degree of obesity and esophageal lesions was observed. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure and abdominal length were significantly higher in subjects with a body mass index over 50 compared to those with a body mass index between 35 and 39.9 kg/m2. No differences were observed in 24 h pH monitoring. Conclusions: A high proportion of severely obese patients had symptoms and endoscopical findings of pathological gastroesophageal reflux (Rev Med Chile 2001; 129: 1038-43

Alteraciones de la tolerancia a la glucosa y frecuencia de síndrome metabólico en pacientes con enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico

Dr. Jaime Poniachik. Centro de Gastroenterologia, Hospital ClinicoUniversidad de Chile. Santos Dumont 999, Santiago-Chile. Fax: (56-2) 978 8353.E-mail: jponiach@redclinicauchile.clDra. Veronica Araya. Seccion Endocrinologia. Hospital Clinico U. de Chile. SantosDumont 999. Santiago de Chile. Fax: (56-2) 777 6891. E-mail: varaya@redclinicauchile.cl

Características clínicas y de laboratorio de pacientes con reflujo gastroesofágico crónico patológico

Background: Sixty percent of adults has typical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux in Chile. Aim: To report the clinical and laboratory features of patients with gastroesophageal reflux. Patients and methods: Five hundred thirty four patients (255 male) with gastroesophageal reflux were included in a prospective protocol that included clinical analysis, manometry and endoscopy in all patients, barium swallow in 427, scintigraphy in 195, acid reflux test in 359, 24 h pH in 175, and differential potential of gastroesophageal mucosa in 73 patients. Results: There was no correlation between the severity of symptoms and the endoscopical severity. Patients with Barret esophagus were 12 years older, were male in a greater proportion and had a higher proportion of manometrically incompetent sphincters than patients with esophageal reflux but without esophagitis or with erosive esophagitis. Severity of acid reflux, measured with 24 h pH monitoring was proportional to the endoscopical damage of the mucosa. There was a close relationship between the mucosal change limit determined with differential potentials and with endoscopy. No short esophagi were found. Conclusions: Patients with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux must be assessed using several objective measures to determine the severity of their pathological alterations.

Resecabilidad y mortalidad operatoria de la gastrectomía subtotal y total en pacientes con cáncer gástrico avanzado, entre 1969 y 2004

Background: The only curative treatment for gastric cancer is its surgical excision associated to a lymph node dissection. Aim: To study the evolution of resectability and operative mortality of total and subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer, in a period of 35 years. Material and methods: Review of medical records of 3000 patients with gastric cancer, operated between 1969 and 2004. Resectability and mortality of total and subtotal gastrectomy was compared in four successive periods (1969 to 1979, 1980 to 1989, 1990 to 1999 and 2000 to 2004). Results: In the four periods there was a steady and significant increase in resectability rate from 49 to 85%. Mortality of total and subtotal gastrectomy decreased significantly from 17 to 2% and from 25 to 1%, respectively. Conclusions: Resectability and mortality rates of total and subtotal gastrectomy have improved with time. Probably a better pre and postoperative care and the experience of the surgical team have an influence in this favorable change (Rev Med Chile 2006; 134: 426-32). (Key words: Gastrectomy; Stomach neoplasms; Surgical procedures, operative)

Hallazgos clínicos, endoscópicos y magnitud del reflujo de contenido gástrico y duodenal en pacientes con metaplasia intestinal cardial y esófago de Barrett corto, comparados con controles

Background: The diagnosis of patients with short segments of intestinal metaplasia in the distal esophagus, has increased in recent years. Aim: To assess the clinical, pathological and functional features of patients with esophageal intestinal metaplasia. Patients and methods: A prospective study was performed in 95 control subjects, 115 patients with cardial intestinal metaplasia and 89 patients with short Barret esophagus with intestinal metaplasia. All had clinical and endoscopic assessments, esophageal manometry and determination of 24 h esophageal exposure to acid and duodenal content. Results: Control patients were younger and, in this group, the pathological findings in the mucosa distal to the squamous-columnar change, showed a preponderance of fundic over cardial mucosa. In patients with intestinal metaplasia and short Barret esophagus, there was only cardial mucosa, that is the place where intestinal metaplasia implants. Low grade dysplasia was only seen in the presence of intestinal metaplasia. Gastroesophageal sphincter pressure decreased and gastric and duodenal reflux increased along with increases in the extension of intestinal metaplasia. Conclusions: These findings confirm the need to obtain multiple biopsies from the squamous-columnar mucosal junction in all patients with gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, for the detection of early pathological changes of Barret esophagus and eventual dysplasia.

Prevalencia de mucosa cardial o fúndica y presencia de Helicobacter pylori en la unión de mucosas escamoso-columnar en pacientes con reflujo gastroesofágico crónico patológico sin metaplasia intestinal comparados con controles

Background: The mucosa distal to the endoscopic mucosal change zone can have easily diagnosed early alterations, in patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux. Aim: To determine the type of mucosa existent in the zone distal to the squamous-columnar junction in patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux without intestinal metaplasia. Patients and methods: One hundred thirty four controls and 208 patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux lasting two years were studied. Forty three of these patients had a normal endoscopy, 54 had an erosive esophagitis and 111 had a short columnar epithelium covering the distal esophagus, without intestinal metaplasia. In all subjects, four biopsies were obtained from a zone distal to the squamous-columnar junction and two from the distal gastric antrum. Results: In 59% of control subjects, fundic mucosa was present in the zone distal to the squamous-columnar junction. Cardial mucosa was present in the rest. In patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux, cardial mucosa was predominant. Helicobacter pylorii infection decreased along with increasing extension of cardial mucosa covering the distal esophagus. Conclusions: In patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux there is a metaplasia of fundic mucosa towards cardial mucosa. On the other hand, Helicobacter pylorii infection decreases gradually.

Morbilidad y mortalidad operatoria de la gastrectomía subtotal y total por cáncer gástrico 2004 a 2010: Parte I de un estudio prospectivo

Complications and mortality of total and subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer Background: Surgery for gastric cancer may have high rates of complications and mortality. Aim: To analyze operative mortality of total and subtotal gastrectomy in the period 2004-2010. Material and Me- thods: Prospective study 345 patients with gastric cancer, mean age 62 years, 64% males, subjected to a total or subtotal R0, R1 or R2 gastrectomy. All patients were assessed in the postoperative period and all com- plications were recorded. Results: Total and subtotal gastrectomies were performed in 224 and 69 patients respectively. Postoperative complications consisted in anastomotic leaks, duodenal stump leaks, hemoperi- toneum, pulmonary infections and intestinal obstruction. Mortality of total gastrectomy R1 or R2 was 2.1% whereas palliative gastrectomy, to improve quality of life, had 15% mortality. Subtotal gastrectomy had 1.4% mortality. Conclusions: There has been a reduction in operative mortality of gastrectomy for gastric cancer, however the rate of complications has not changed.