Endoluminal Vacuum Therapy as a Salvage Procedure for Difficult Anastomotic Leak Post Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass.

We present a case of a woman in her 60s, with a history of a gastric sleeve resection, over 50% excess body weight loss, and subsequent severe gastroesophageal reflux disease refractory to maximal medical therapy, who underwent a conversion of a sleeve gastrectomy to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with hiatal hernia repair. On postoperative day five, she was evaluated at our emergency department for vomiting and inability to tolerate oral intake. Imaging revealed a large retrocardiac hiatal hernia and extraluminal contrast extravasation. She was taken to the operating room after resuscitation, where the gastric pouch and roux limb were found to have significant edema with recurrence of the hernia. This was able to be reduced and a frank perforation was found at the posterior aspect of the anastomosis. A covered metal stent was placed by the gastroenterologist and drains were left in place.  In the ICU, nasojejunal feeds were stopped given suspicion of backflow with persistent leak. A decision was made to remove the stent and place an endoluminal vacuum (endoscopic vacuum-assisted wound closure [EVAC]). After three subsequent vacuum-sponge changes, the perforation was found to have healed. Patient was tolerating a diet on discharge. This case is an example of a complication where a multidisciplinary approach to a difficult leak resulted in recovery with the use of EVAC. We believe this is a valuable tool to have in our armamentarium for difficult-to-manage leaks.

Gastric Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy for Treatment of Chronic Proximal Staple Line Leak Precipitated by Downstream Stenosis.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is now the most commonly performed bariatric surgery. Although considered a safe procedure, adverse events such as staple line leak in the context of sleeve stenosis can result in significant patient morbidity and health economic burden. Correction of the downstream stenosis is mandatory for closure of the staple line leak. Conventional endoscopic therapies offer high initial success rates, though ultimately a significant proportion proceed to revision surgery. Gastric per-oral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM) is a novel, minimally invasive procedure which allows for a full-thickness myotomy of the stenosed segment, potentially conferring similar anatomical correction to surgical seromyotomy. We present a case of recalcitrant chronic proximal staple line leak in the context of a downstream gastric stenosis managed by G-POEM.

Management of Type 1 Late Sleeve Leak with Gastrobronchial Fistula by Laparoscopic Suturing and Conversion to Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: Video Report.

BACKGROUND: Gastrobronchial fistula (GBF) is a rare but serious complication after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). It commonly appears sometime after the primary LSG. (Alharbi Ann Thorac Med. 8(3):179-80, 2013; Albanopoulos et al. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 9(6):e97-9, 2013). Surgical approach is an effective treatment. (Rebibo et al. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 10(3):460-67, 2014). The aim of this video was to demonstrate the operative management of a gastrobronchial fistula after LSG by laparoscopic suturing and conversion to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). METHODS: We present the case of a 53-year-old woman, with a BMI of 50.2 who presented with a left lower lobe consolidation 7 months after LSG. Imaging revealed a gastrobronchial fistula with left lower lobe consolidation and small sub-diaphragmatic collections. Endoscopy done revealed a fistulous opening beyond the oesophago-gastric junction and a trial of endoscopic stenting failed. RESULTS: In this multimedia high definition video, we present step-by-step the operative management of a late sleeve leak with gastrobronchial fistula by laparoscopic suturing and conversion to a RYGB. The procedure included mobilization of the gastric sleeve, identification and suturing of the fistulous opening, creation of a gastric pouch, creation of an ante-colic Roux limb, gastro-jejunal anastomosis and jejuno-jejunal anastomosis. Drainage of the fistula decreased with absence of a leak on imaging and pneumonia resolved in 15 days. This patient was diagnosed 7 months postoperatively with a gastric sleeve leak and the time to fistula closure from diagnosis was 2 months. CONCLUSION: GBF is a severe complication of bariatric surgery that usually presents late in the postoperative period. GBF after LSG can be treated by surgical fistula repair and conversion of the sleeve into a RYGB.