Metabolic surgery and oral health: A register-based study.

OBJECTIVE: The impact of weight loss surgery on oral health is not clear. The aim of the present study was to investigate its impact on the risk for dental interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All adults who underwent metabolic surgery in Sweden between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2018 were identified in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (SOReg; n = 53,643). A control cohort from the general population was created, matched 10:1 on sex, age and place of residence (n = 536,430). All individuals were followed in the Swedish Dental Register regarding event rates for four types of dental intervention: restorative, endodontic and periodontal interventions, and tooth extractions. RESULTS: The surgical cohort had increased interventional rates postoperatively regarding all studied outcomes except periodontal interventions. Dental interventions were more common in the surgical cohort both pre- and postoperatively. The difference between the groups increased markedly in the postoperative period. The between-group comparison postoperatively showed increased event rates for restorations (IRR 1.8; 95% CI 1.7-1.8), extractions (1.9; 95% CI 1.9-2.0) and endodontics (2.1; 95% CI 2.0-2.1). CONCLUSION: The surgical intervention might cause a substantial negative impact on oral health. These results imply an important role for counselling metabolic surgery patients regarding preventive oral health measures.

Association of Metabolic Surgery With Major Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Previous Myocardial Infarction and Severe Obesity: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The number of patients with myocardial infarction and severe obesity is increasing and there is a lack of evidence how these patients should be treated. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between metabolic surgery (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy) and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with previous myocardial infarction (MI) and severe obesity. METHODS: Of 566 patients with previous MI registered in the SWEDEHEART registry (Swedish Web-System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies) undergoing metabolic surgery and registered in the nationwide Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry, 509 patients (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass n=465; sleeve gastrectomy n=44) could be matched 1:1 to a control with MI from SWEDEHEART, but no subsequent metabolic surgery regarding sex, age (±3 years), year of MI (±3 years), and body mass index (±3). The 2 groups were well matched, except for a lower proportion of reduced ejection fraction after MI (7% versus 12%), previous heart failure (10% versus 19%), atrial fibrillation (6% versus 10%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (4% versus 7%) in patients undergoing metabolic surgery. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) follow-up time was 4.6 (2.7-7.1) years. The 8-year cumulative probability of major adverse cardiovascular events was lower in patients undergoing metabolic surgery (18.7% [95% CI, 15.9-21.5%] versus 36.2% [33.2-39.3%], adjusted hazard ratio, 0.44 [95% CI, 0.32-0.61]). Patients undergoing metabolic surgery had also a lower risk of death (adjusted HR, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.29-0.70]; MI, 0.24 [0.14-0.41]) and new onset heart failure, but there were no significant differences regarding stroke (0.91 [0.38-2.20]) and new onset atrial fibrillation (0.56 [0.31-1.01]). CONCLUSIONS: In severely obese patients with previous MI, metabolic surgery is associated with a low risk for serious complications, lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, death, new MI, and new onset heart failure. These findings need to be confirmed in a randomized, controlled trial.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for removal of large colorectal neoplasias in an outpatient setting: a single-center series of 660 procedures in Sweden.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a technique developed in Japan for the removal of large lesions in the GI tract. Because of the complexity of the technique, implementation in Western health care has been slow. An ESD procedure is usually followed by hospital admission. Our aim was to investigate if ESD of colorectal lesions can be performed in an outpatient setting. METHODS: Six hundred sixty colorectal ESD procedures between 2014 and 2020 were evaluated retrospectively. All patients referred to the unit with an early colorectal neoplasm >20 mm without signs of deep invasion were considered eligible for an ESD procedure. RESULTS: Of 660 lesions, 323 (48.9%) were localized in the proximal colon, 102 (15.5%) in the distal colon, and 235 (35.6%) in the rectum. Median lesion size was 38 mm (interquartile range, 30-50) and median procedure duration 70 minutes (interquartile range, 45-115). En-bloc resection was achieved in 620 cases (93.9%). R0 resection was achieved in 492 en-bloc resections (79.4%), whereas the number of Rx and R1 resections was 124 (20.0%) and 4 (.6%), respectively. Low-grade dysplasia was found in 473 cases (71.7%), high-grade dysplasia in 144 (21.8%), and adenocarcinoma in 34 (5.1%). Six hundred twelve procedures (92.7%) were scheduled as outpatient, and 33 of these underwent unplanned admission. Forty-eight cases (7.3%) were planned as inpatient procedures. The rate of full wall perforation was 38 (5.8%), in which 35 (92.1%) were managed endoscopically and 3 patients (7.9%) required emergency surgery. Forty-six patients (7.0%) sought medical attention within 30 days because of bleeding (21 [3.2%]), abdominal tenderness (16 [2.4%]), and other reasons (9 [1.4%]). Twenty-four of these patients were admitted for observation for a median of 2 days (range, 1-7). Ten of these patients were treated with antibiotics, and 6 patients required blood transfusion. None required additional surgery. CONCLUSIONS: ESD of colorectal lesions can be safely performed in an outpatient setting in a well-selected patient.

Childhood appendicitis and future risk of inflammatory bowel disease - A nationwide cohort study in Sweden 1973-2017.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between juvenile appendicitis, treated conservatively or with appendectomy, and adult risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), either ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD). We used nationwide population data from more than 100,000 individuals followed for over four decades. METHOD: All Swedish patients discharged with a diagnosis of appendicitis before the age of 16 years between 1973 to 1996 were identified. Everyone diagnosed with appendicitis was matched to an individual in the general population without a history of juvenile appendicitis (unexposed) of similar age, sex and region of residence. The study population was retrospectively followed until 2017 for any development of UC or CD. Cox proportional-hazards models compared disease-free survival time between exposed and unexposed individuals, also analysing the impact of treatment (conservative treatment versus appendectomy). RESULTS: The final cohort consisted of 52,391 individuals exposed to appendicitis (1,674,629 person years) and 51,415 unexposed individuals (1,638,888 person years). Childhood appendicitis with appendectomy was associated with a significantly lower risk of adult IBD [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.48 (0.42-0.55)], UC [aHR 0.30 (0.25-0.36)] and CD [aHR 0.82 (0.68-0.97)]. Those treated conservatively had a lower risk of adult UC [aHR 0.29 (0.12-0.69)] but not CD [aHR 1.12 (0.61-2.06)] compared with unexposed individuals. CONCLUSION: Juvenile appendicitis treated with appendectomy was associated with a decreased risk of adult IBD, both UC and CD. Those treated conservatively instead of with surgery had a lower risk of UC only. Our findings warrant more research on the role of the appendix and gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of IBD.

Remission, relapse, and risk of major cardiovascular events after metabolic surgery in persons with hypertension: A Swedish nationwide registry-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown that metabolic surgery is associated with remission of diabetes and hypertension. In terms of diabetes, factors such as duration, insulin use, weight loss, and age have been shown to contribute to the likelihood of remission. Such factors have not been determined for hypertension. The aim of this study was to evaluate factors associated with the remission and relapse of hypertension after metabolic surgery, as well as the risk for major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) and mortality in patients with and without remission. METHODS AND FINDINGS: All adults who underwent metabolic surgery between January 2007 and June 2016 were identified in the nationwide Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (SOReg). Through cross-linkage with the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register, Patient Register, and Statistics Sweden, individual data on prescriptions, inpatient and outpatient diagnoses, and mortality were retrieved. Of the 15,984 patients with pharmacologically treated hypertension, 6,286 (39.3%) were in remission at 2 years. High weight loss and male sex were associated with higher chance of remission, while duration, number of antihypertensive drugs, age, body mass index (BMI), cardiovascular disease, and dyslipidemia were associated with lower chance. After adjustment for age, sex, BMI, comorbidities, and education, the cumulative probabilities of MACEs (2.8% versus 5.7%, adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47 to 0.77, p < 0.001) and all-cause mortality (4.0% versus 8.0%, adjusted OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.88, p = 0.002) were lower for patients being in remission at 2 years compared with patients not in remission, despite relapse of hypertension in 2,089 patients (cumulative probability 56.3%) during 10-year follow-up. The main limitations of the study were missing information on nonpharmacological treatment for hypertension and the observational study design. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed an association between high postoperative weight loss and male sex with better chance of remission, while we observed a lower chance of remission depending on disease severity and presence of other metabolic comorbidities. Patients who achieved remission had a halved risk of MACE and death compared with those who did not. The results suggest that in patients with severe obesity and hypertension, metabolic surgery should not be delayed.

Association between metabolic surgery and cardiovascular outcome in patients with hypertension: A nationwide matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension, together with obesity, is a leading cause of mortality and disability. Whilst metabolic surgery offers remission of several metabolic comorbidities, the effect for patients with hypertension remains controversial. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of metabolic surgery on cardiovascular events and mortality on patients with morbid obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 35 kg/m2) and hypertension. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a matched cohort study of 11,863 patients with morbid obesity and pharmacologically treated hypertension operated on with metabolic surgery and a matched non-operated-on control group of 26,199 subjects with hypertension (matched by age, sex, and area of residence) of varied matching ratios from 1:1 to 1:9, using data from the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Register (SOReg), the Swedish National Patient Registers (NPR) for in-hospital and outpatient care, the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register, and Statistics Sweden. The main outcome was major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), defined as first occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event, cerebrovascular event, fatal cardiovascular event, or unattended sudden cardiac death. The mean age in the study group was 52.1 ± 7.46 years, with 65.8% being women (n = 7,810), and mean BMI was 41.9 ± 5.43 kg/m2. MACEs occurred in 379 operated-on patients (3.2%) and 1,125 subjects in the control group (4.5%). After adjustment for duration of hypertension, comorbidities, and education, a reduction in risk was seen in the metabolic surgery group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.73, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] 0.64-0.84, P < 0.001). The surgery group had lower risk for ACS events (adjusted HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.41-0.66, P < 0.001) and a tendency towards lower risk for cerebrovascular events (adjusted HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.63-1.01, P = 0.060) compared with controls. The main limitations with the study were the lack of information on BMI and history of smoking in the control group and the nonrandomised study design. CONCLUSION: Metabolic surgery on patients with morbid obesity and pharmacologically treated hypertension was associated with lower risk for MACEs and all-cause mortality compared with age- and sex-matched controls with hypertension from the general population.

Gastric Bypass Surgery Reduces De Novo Cases of Type 2 Diabetes to Population Levels: A Nationwide Cohort Study From Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine long-term changes in pharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes after primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, in patients with and without pharmacological treatment of diabetes preoperatively. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Several studies have shown that gastric bypass has good effect on diabetes, at least in the short-term. This study is a nationwide cohort study using Swedish registers, with basically no patients lost to follow-up during up to 7 years after surgery. METHODS: The effect of RYGB on type 2 diabetes drug treatment was evaluated in this nationwide matched cohort study. Participants were 22,047 adults with BMI ≥30 identified in the nationwide Scandinavian Surgical Obesity Registry, who underwent primary RYGB between 2007 and 2012. For each individual, up to 10 general population comparators were matched on birth year, sex, and place of residence. Prescription data were retrieved from the nationwide Swedish Prescribed Drug Register through September 2015. Incident use of pharmacological treatment was analyzed using Cox regression. RESULTS: Sixty-seven percent of patients with pharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes before surgery were not using diabetes drugs 2 years after surgery and 61% of patients were not pharmacologically treated up to 7 years after surgery. In patients not using diabetes drugs at baseline, there were 189 new cases of pharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes in the surgery group and 2319 in the matched general population comparators during a median follow-up of 4.6 years (incidence: 21.4 vs 27.9 per 10,000 person-years; adjusted hazard ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.67-0.89; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Gastric bypass surgery not only induces remission of pharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes but also protects from new onset of pharmacological diabetes treatment. The effect seems to persist in most, but not all, patients over 7 years of follow-up.

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Without Division of the Mesentery Reduces the Risk of Postoperative Complications.

BACKGROUND: Anastomotic complications after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) including leaks, ulceration, and stenosis remain a significant cause of post-operative morbidity and mortality. Our objective was to compare two different surgical techniques regarding short-term anastomotic complications. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all patients operated with a primary LRYGB from 2006 to June 2015 in one institution, where prospectively collected data from an internal quality registry and medical journals were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 2420 patients were included in the analysis. 1016 were operated with a technique where the mesentery was divided during the creation of the Roux-limb (DM-LRYGB) and 1404 were operated with a method where the mesentery was left intact (IM-LRYGB). Leakage in the first 30 days [2.6% vs. 1.1% (p < 0.05)], and ulceration or stenosis occurring during the first 6 months after surgery [5.6% vs. 0.1% (p < 0.05)] was significantly higher in the DM-LRYGB group. Adjusted odds ratio for anastomotic leak was 0.46 (95% CI 0.24-0.87) and for stenosis/ulceration 0.01 (95% CI 0.002-0.09). CONCLUSION: IM-LRYGB seems to reduce the risk of complications at the anastomosis. A plausible explanation for this is that the blood supply to the anastomosis is compromised when the mesentery is divided.

Substantial Decrease in Comorbidity 5 Years After Gastric Bypass: A Population-based Study From the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effect on comorbid disease and weight loss 5 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery for morbid obesity in a large nationwide cohort. BACKGROUND: The number patients having surgical procedures to treat obesity and obesity-related disease are increasing. Yet, population-based, long-term outcome studies are few. METHODS: Data on 26,119 individuals [75.8% women, 41.0 years, and body mass index (BMI) 42.8 kg/m] undergoing primary RYGB between May 1, 2007 and June 30, 2012, were collected from 2 Swedish quality registries: Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry and the Prescribed Drug Registry. Weight, remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, depression, and sleep apnea, and changes in corresponding laboratory data were studied. Five-year follow-up was 100% (9774 eligible individuals) for comorbid diseases. RESULTS: BMI decreased from 42.8 ±â€Š5.5 to 31.2 ±â€Š5.5 kg/m at 5 years, corresponding to 27.7% reduction in total body weight. Prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (15.5%-5.9%), hypertension (29.7%-19.5%), dyslipidemia (14.0%-6.8%), and sleep apnea (9.6%-2.6%) was reduced. Greater weight loss was a positive prognostic factor, whereas increasing age or BMI at baseline was a negative prognostic factor for remission. The use of antidepressants increased (24.1%-27.5%). Laboratory status was improved, for example, fasting glucose and glycated hemoglobin decreased from 6.1 to 5.4 mmol/mol and 41.8% to 37.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide study, gastric bypass resulted in large improvements in obesity-related comorbid disease and sustained weight loss over a 5-year period. The increased use of antidepressants warrants further investigation.

Closure of mesenteric defects in laparoscopic gastric bypass: a multicentre, randomised, parallel, open-label trial.

BACKGROUND: Small bowel obstruction due to internal hernia is a common and potentially serious complication after laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. Whether closure of surgically created mesenteric defects might reduce the incidence is unknown, so we did a large randomised trial to investigate. METHOD: This study was a multicentre, randomised trial with a two-arm, parallel design done at 12 centres for bariatric surgery in Sweden. Patients planned for laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery at any of the participating centres were offered inclusion. During the operation, a concealed envelope was opened and the patient was randomly assigned to either closure of mesenteric defects beneath the jejunojejunostomy and at Petersen's space or non-closure. After surgery, assignment was open label. The main outcomes were reoperation for small bowel obstruction and severe postoperative complications. Outcome data and safety were analysed in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01137201. FINDINGS: Between May 1, 2010, and Nov 14, 2011, 2507 patients were recruited to the study and randomly assigned to closure of the mesenteric defects (n=1259) or non-closure (n=1248). 2503 (99·8%) patients had follow-up for severe postoperative complications at day 30 and 2482 (99·0%) patients had follow-up for reoperation due to small bowel obstruction at 25 months. At 3 years after surgery, the cumulative incidence of reoperation because of small bowel obstruction was significantly reduced in the closure group (cumulative probability 0·055 for closure vs 0·102 for non-closure, hazard ratio 0·56, 95% CI 0·41-0·76, p=0·0002). Closure of mesenteric defects increased the risk for severe postoperative complications (54 [4·3%] for closure vs 35 [2·8%] for non-closure, odds ratio 1·55, 95% CI 1·01-2·39, p=0·044), mainly because of kinking of the jejunojejunostomy. INTERPRETATION: The results of our study support the routine closure of the mesenteric defects in laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. However, closure of the mesenteric defects might be associated with increased risk of early small bowel obstruction caused by kinking of the jejunojejunostomy. FUNDING: Örebro County Council, Stockholm City Council, and the Erling-Persson Family Foundation.

Colorectal ESD in day surgery.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was developed in Japan and is growing in popularity in Europe. Patients undergoing a colorectal ESD procedure in Japan are hospitalized for several days. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of colorectal ESD as an outpatient procedure in a European setting. METHODS: A prospective cohort of all patients undergoing colorectal ESD at Danderyds Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden from April 2014 to December 2015 were studied. Data on patient demographics, procedural outcome and 30-day readmissions were studied. Data are presented as median (range), mean ± SD or true numbers as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 182 patients underwent a colorectal ESD during the study period. Of the 182 these, 11 were scheduled for an in-hospital procedure and of 171 patients scheduled for a day-procedure and 15 were admitted for observation. The remaining 156 patients were discharged after 2-4 h of observation and comprise the study cohort. Mean age was 69 years. Median lesion size was 28 (10-120) mm, and median resection time was 65 (10-360) min. Lesions were located as follows: anal canal 1 (0.6%), rectum 52 (33.3%), sigmoid 17 (10.9%), descending 3 (1.9%), transverse 24 (15.4%), ascending 29 (18.6%), and cecum 30 (19.2%). Eight (5.1%) of the 156 day surgery patients returned for medical attention during the postoperative 30-day period. Three of them were admitted for in-hospital observation. None of the day surgery patients required any surgical intervention. CONCLUSION: Uncomplicated colorectal ESD can safely be carried out in a day surgery setting.

Association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and outcomes after metabolic and bariatric surgery: a nationwide propensity-matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The risks and benefits of metabolic and bariatric surgery for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remain to be investigated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess short- and long-term outcomes after metabolic and bariatric surgery in patients with previous ADHD compared with matched control individuals. SETTING: Registry based. METHODS: This 2-staged matched-cohort study included all adults with a body mass index of ≥30 kg/m2 who underwent primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy from 2007 until 2017 registered in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry. Patients with prescribed medication for ADHD were matched with control individuals without ADHD with a follow-up of up to 11 years after surgery. RESULTS: Among 1431 patients with ADHD and 2862 control individuals (mean body mass index, 42 kg/m2; mean age, 35 years), no difference in weight loss or follow-up attendance over 2 years was seen. ADHD was associated with a higher risk for early postoperative complications (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.63), self-harm (hazards ratio [HR] = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.11-1.75), and substance abuse (HR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.16-1.55), while associations with overall mortality (HR = 1.42; 95% CI, .99-2.03), major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (HR = 1.93; 95% CI, .98-3.83), and effects on obesity-related diseases were uncertain. ADHD was associated with a lower health-related quality of life in all aspects before surgery. These differences increased for mental and obesity-related aspects but remained unchanged over time for physical aspects. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with patients without ADHD, patients treated pharmacologically for ADHD experience similar weight loss and remission of obesity-related diseases without an increased risk for serious complications but report a lower health-related quality of life and have an increased risk of substance abuse and self-harm. This further emphasizes the need for close follow-up care for this group of individuals.

The risk of inflammatory bowel disease after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: The association between bariatric surgery and new onset of inflammatory bowel disease has so far only been sparsely studied and with conflicting results. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between bariatric surgery and inflammatory bowel disease in a large population-based cohort. SETTING: Nationwide in Sweden. METHODS: This population-based retrospective cohort study included Swedish individuals registered in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry who underwent primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy during 2007-2018. Ten control individuals from the general population were matched according to age, sex, and region of residence at time of exposure. The study population was followed until 2019 with regard to the development of inflammatory bowel disease. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare disease-free survival time between subgroups and control individuals for each outcome. RESULTS: The final cohort consisted of 64,188 exposed individuals with a total follow-up of 346,860 person-years and 634,530 controls with total follow-up of 3,444,186 person-years. Individuals who underwent Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass had an increased risk of later development of Crohn's disease (hazard ratio [HR] 1.8, 95% CI 1.5-2.2) and unclassified inflammatory bowel disease (HR 2.7, 95% CI 2.0-3.7) but not ulcerative colitis (HR .9, 95% CI .8-1.1) compared with control individuals, whereas individuals who underwent sleeve gastrectomy had an increased risk of ulcerative colitis (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.1) but not Crohn's disease (HR .8, 95% CI .3-2.1) and unclassified inflammatory bowel disease (HR 2.5, 95% CI .8-7.8). CONCLUSIONS: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was associated with increased risk of Crohn's disease and unclassified inflammatory bowel disease, whereas sleeve gastrectomy was associated with increased risk of ulcerative colitis only.

High revision rates after laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate, in a surgical department at a university hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, the long-term results after laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), with special emphasis on revisional surgery. Few studies are available with long-term results after laparoscopic VBG. Some short-term studies have shown results similar to gastric banding. METHODS: All consecutive patients who underwent attempted laparoscopic VBG between 1995 and 2005 were followed up regarding weight loss and the need for revisional surgery. Follow-up was from the date of surgery to the end of the observational period (December 2006). RESULTS: In 486 patients, laparoscopic VBG was attempted. Of the 486 cases, 64 were converted to open surgery. Conversions were common in the first patients, with a conversion rate of 4% during the last 100 patients. The mean body mass index at surgery was 42.4 kg/m2. The median follow-up was 3 years (range 0-11). All patients lost weight. A total of 104 patients (21%) required revisional surgery 114 times during the follow-up period, with food intolerance/vomiting and insufficient weight loss the most common reasons. Of the 104 patients, 31 underwent repeat VBG, of whom 10 needed a secondary revisional procedure, and 49 required conversion to gastric bypass, of whom none have required additional revisional surgery. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic VBG is associated with high revisional rates. In the case of failed VBG, repeat VBG seems to be a poor option and conversion to gastric bypass yields better results. We have abandoned VBG as a surgical option in the treatment of obesity.

Antiobesity surgery in Sweden from 1980 to 2005: a population-based study with a focus on mortality.

BACKGROUND: Antiobesity surgery reduces mortality, but this reduction is dependent to a great extent on surgical perioperative mortality. Population-based perioperative mortality after antiobesity surgery is not well known. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mortality after antiobesity surgery in Sweden. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: All patients who underwent antiobesity surgery in Sweden between 1980 and 2005. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All-cause mortality after antiobesity surgery. RESULTS: A total of 12,379 patients (9,614 women) with mean age (+/-SD) of 39.5 +/- 10.4 years underwent 14,768 antiobesity procedures. Mean follow-up time was 10.9 +/- 6.3 years. A total of 751 (6.1%) patients died during the follow-up period and the cumulative 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality was 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5%, respectively. Early cumulative mortality was higher for men and patients older than 50 years of age. Long-term mortality was higher in men than in women (90 vs. 50 per 10,000 person years when excluding early deaths, mortality rate ratio 1.8 (95% CI, 1.5-2.1)). There was no difference in the rates of early mortality when primary procedures were compared with reoperations. Myocardial infarction and malignancy were the most common late causes of death after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Antiobesity surgery can be performed safely in unselected populations of obese patients with low rates of early mortality. Men are at a higher risk of early death, which is carried through over long-term follow-up, and that is why a future specific study of the effect of antiobesity surgery on mortality in men is warranted.

Hospital admission after gastric bypass: a nationwide cohort study with up to 6 years follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have addressed short-term admission rates after bariatric surgery. However, studies on long-term admission rates are few and population based studies are even scarcer. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess short- and long-term admission rates for gastrointestinal surgery after gastric bypass in Sweden compared with admission rates in the general population. SETTING: Swedish healthcare system. METHODS: The surgery cohort consisted of adults with body mass index≥35 identified in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (n = 28,331; mean age 41 years; 76% women; Roux-en-Y gastric bypass performed 2007-2012). For each individual, up to 10 comparators from the general population were matched on birth year, sex, and place of residence (n = 274,513). The primary outcome was inpatient admissions due to gastrointestinal surgery retrieved from the National Patient Register through December 31, 2014. Conditional hazard ratios (HR) were estimated using Cox regression. RESULTS: All-cause admission rates were 6.5%, 21.4%, and 65.9% during 30 days, 1 year, and 6 years after surgery, respectively. The corresponding rates for gastrointestinal surgery were 1.8%, 6.8%, and 24.4%. Compared with that of the general population, there was an increased risk of all-cause hospital admission at 1 year (HR 2.6 [2.5-2.6]) and 6 years (HR 2.7 [2.6-2.7]). The risk of hospital admission for any gastrointestinal surgical procedure was greatly increased throughout the study period (HR 8.6 [8.4-8.9]). Female sex, psychiatric disease, and low education were risk factors. CONCLUSION: We found a significant risk of admission to hospital over>6 years after gastric bypass surgery.

Treatment of leaking gastrojejunostomy after gastric bypass surgery with special emphasis on stenting.

BACKGROUND: Gastric bypass is one of the most common operations for morbid obesity. One of the most feared complications is a leak, most commonly encountered in the gastrojejunal anastomosis (GJA), leading to significant morbidity and increased costs. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of stenting leaks in the GJA. The setting was a university hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all gastric bypasses from January 2001 to August 2011, with special reference to the treatment of leaks in the GJA. RESULTS: A postoperative leak in the GJA occurred in 69 of 2214 patients. The risk was greater with open surgery and revisional surgery. The risk was also greater with age >50 years but not with a body mass index >50 kg/m(2). There was no mortality. In the later part of the series, stents were used, with a stent time of 2 weeks. The migration rate was 23%, and need for restenting was 20%. CONCLUSION: It is safe and advantageous to use stents in the treatment of leaks at the GJA. Patients can be on oral nutrition and oral medication, reducing the need for in-hospital care.

Increased admission for alcohol dependence after gastric bypass surgery compared with restrictive bariatric surgery.

IMPORTANCE: We demonstrate that patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery (GBS) have a higher risk of inpatient care for alcohol dependence than those who have undergone restrictive surgery. This highlights a need for health care providers to be aware of this so that early detection and treatment can be put in place. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate inpatient care for alcohol abuse before and after GBS compared with restrictive surgery (vertical banded gastroplasty and gastric banding). DESIGN: Retrospective population-based cohort study including all patients who underwent GBS, vertical banded gastroplasty, and gastric banding in Sweden from 1980 through 2006. The relative risk of inpatient care for alcohol abuse was studied before and after surgery. SETTING: All hospitals in Sweden performing bariatric surgery. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 11,115 patients older than 18 years (mean [SD] age, 40.0 [10.3] years; 77% women) who underwent a primary gastric bypass procedure, vertical banded gastroplasty, and gastric banding during the study period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Inpatient care for alcohol abuse, substance abuse, depression, and attempted suicide. RESULTS Mean follow-up time was 8.6 years. Before surgery, there was no difference in inpatient treatment of alcohol abuse among patients who underwent gastric bypass or a restrictive procedure (incidence rate ratio, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.8-1.4). After surgery, there was a 2-fold increased risk of inpatient care for alcohol abuse among patients who had GBS compared with those who had restrictive surgery (hazard ratio, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.7-3.2). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Patients who had undergone GBS had more than double the risk of inpatient care for alcohol abuse postoperatively compared with patients undergoing a restrictive procedure, highlighting a need for healthcare professionals to be aware of this for early detection and treatment.

Incidence of postoperative gallstone disease after antiobesity surgery: population-based study from Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Patients who have undergone antiobesity surgery are at risk of developing gallstones postoperatively. The aim of the present study was to assess the incidence of symptomatic gallstone disease in patients who have undergone antiobesity surgery compared with that of the general population. METHODS: We performed a population-based cohort study of antiobesity surgery in Sweden from 1980 to 2006. A total of 8901 patients who had undergone antiobesity surgery and had not previously been treated for gallstone disease were identified from the Inpatient Care Register. For each subject, 10 controls matched for age and gender, were identified in the register of the total population (89,010). Censoring occurred at the end of the study (December 31, 2006), date of emigration, or date of death (9.1 +/- 6.6 years of follow-up). RESULTS: The incidence of gallstone disease was 122.2/10,000 person-years in the surgical group compared with 22.2/10,000 person-years in the controls. The incidence of cholecystectomy was greater in the surgical group than in the controls (106.1 versus 19.5/10,000 person-years). The incidence ratio for gallstone disease was 5.5 (range 5.05.9) and for cholecystectomy was 5.4 (range 5.0-5.9). CONCLUSION: A fivefold increased risk of symptomatic gallstone disease was found after antiobesity surgery compared with that in the general population.

Short-term morbidity and mortality after open versus laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. A population-based study from Sweden.

BACKGROUND: The number of anti-obesity procedures performed continues to increase and most are now performed laparoscopically. Few population-based studies have examined outcomes after open and laparoscopic anti-obesity surgery. METHODS: All-cause mortality and cause-specific morbidity was studied in patients who underwent laparoscopic or open gastric bypass (GBP) surgery in all public Swedish hospitals between 1997 and 2006. RESULTS: Four thousand seven hundred one (3,852 primary) GBP procedures were performed during the study period. Of these, 1,661 were performed laparoscopically and 3,040 by open access. There was no difference in 30-, 90-, or 365-day mortality between open and laparoscopic access. Complications were more common after conversion from previous anti-obesity surgery to GBP (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.5-2.4; 30-day readmission). Surgical re-intervention due to anastomotic leak or deep infection was higher in laparoscopic GBP compared to open GBP (OR 2.1; 1.3-3.6). Subgroup analysis showed higher leak rates with revisional laparoscopic procedures (conversion to GBP from previous anti-obesity surgery) compared to revisional open (OR 4.1; 1.5-11.2) whereas after primary GBP no statistically significant difference was seen between laparoscopic and open approach (OR 1.7; 1.0-3.1) (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic GBP is as safe as open surgery in terms of mortality. Care needs to be taken when converting previous anti-obesity surgery to GBP.