Lionel Rebibo1, Eric Bartoli2, Abdennaceur Dhahri1, Cyril Cosse3, Brice Robert4, Franck Brazier2, Aurélien Pequignot1, Sami Hakim2, Thierry Yzet4, Richard Delcenserie2, Hervé Dupont5, Jean-Marc Regimbeau6. 1. Department of Digestive Surgery, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France. 2. Department of Gastroenterology, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France. 3. Department of Digestive Surgery, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France; Clinical Research Center, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France. 4. Department of Radiology, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France. 5. Department of Medical and Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France. 6. Department of Digestive Surgery, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France; Jules Verne University of Picardie, Amiens, France; Clinical Research Center, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France. Electronic address: regimbeau.jean-marc@chu-amiens.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Gastric leak (GL) represents one of the main early-onset postoperative complication of sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Most studies of GL featured short series and no data on the time to reoperation for persistent GL. OBJECTIVES: Characterize the time between discovery of persistent post-SG GL and the implementation of reoperation. SETTING: University hospital, France, public practice. METHODS: All patients treated for post-SG GL between November 2004 and December 2013 were included. The primary efficacy criterion was the time interval between discovery of a persistent GL and reoperation. The secondary efficacy criteria were demographic, surgical, and endoscopic data; mortality rate; time to GL healing; treatment success rate; and risk factors for failure treatment. RESULTS: Eighty-six patients were treated for post-SG GL. Forty patients (46.5%) had early-onset GL (postoperative day ≤ 7). Two patients (2.3%) presented primary gastrobronchial fistula. Fifty-six patients (70%) underwent immediate reoperation. Endoscopic treatment was required to treat the GL in 92.7% of the cases (n = 77). The mortality rate was 1.2% (n = 1). The treatment success rate was 89.1%. The median time to healing GL was 84 days (14-423 d). Eighty percent of the GLs had healed 120 days after discovery. After 120 days, the incidence of complications related to GL increased and few additional GLs healed. The only identified risk factor for treatment failure was large retained gastric fundus (P ≤ .05). CONCLUSIONS: Most cases of GL can be adequately treated by incorporating endoscopic stenting. Surgery for persistent GL should be performed within 120 days of discovery; after this cut-off, the incidence of GL-related complications increases. Large retained gastric fundus is a risk factor for treatment failure and may prompt the surgeon to consider earlier reoperation.
BACKGROUND: Gastric leak (GL) represents one of the main early-onset postoperative complication of sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Most studies of GL featured short series and no data on the time to reoperation for persistent GL. OBJECTIVES: Characterize the time between discovery of persistent post-SG GL and the implementation of reoperation. SETTING: University hospital, France, public practice. METHODS: All patients treated for post-SG GL between November 2004 and December 2013 were included. The primary efficacy criterion was the time interval between discovery of a persistent GL and reoperation. The secondary efficacy criteria were demographic, surgical, and endoscopic data; mortality rate; time to GL healing; treatment success rate; and risk factors for failure treatment. RESULTS: Eighty-six patients were treated for post-SG GL. Forty patients (46.5%) had early-onset GL (postoperative day ≤ 7). Two patients (2.3%) presented primary gastrobronchial fistula. Fifty-six patients (70%) underwent immediate reoperation. Endoscopic treatment was required to treat the GL in 92.7% of the cases (n = 77). The mortality rate was 1.2% (n = 1). The treatment success rate was 89.1%. The median time to healing GL was 84 days (14-423 d). Eighty percent of the GLs had healed 120 days after discovery. After 120 days, the incidence of complications related to GL increased and few additional GLs healed. The only identified risk factor for treatment failure was large retained gastric fundus (P ≤ .05). CONCLUSIONS: Most cases of GL can be adequately treated by incorporating endoscopic stenting. Surgery for persistent GL should be performed within 120 days of discovery; after this cut-off, the incidence of GL-related complications increases. Large retained gastric fundus is a risk factor for treatment failure and may prompt the surgeon to consider earlier reoperation.