Randomized controlled trial of nasogastric tube use after esophagectomy: study protocol for the kinetic trial.

Esophagectomy is a complex and complication laden procedure. Despite centralization, variations in perioparative strategies reflect a paucity of evidence regarding optimal routines. The use of nasogastric (NG) tubes post esophagectomy is typically associated with significant discomfort for the patients. We hypothesize that immediate postoperative removal of the NG tube is non-inferior to current routines. All Nordic Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer centers were invited to participate in this open-label pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT). Inclusion criteria include resection for locally advanced esophageal cancer with gastric tube reconstruction. A pretrial survey was undertaken and was the foundation for a consensus process resulting in the Kinetic trial, an RCT allocating patients to either no use of a NG tube (intervention) or 5 days of postoperative NG tube use (control) with anastomotic leakage as primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints include pulmonary complications, overall complications, length of stay, health related quality of life. A sample size of 450 patients is planned (Kinetic trial: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN39935085). Thirteen Nordic centers with a combined catchment area of 17 million inhabitants have entered the trial and ethical approval was granted in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark. All centers routinely use NG tube and all but one center use total or hybrid minimally invasive-surgical approach. Inclusion began in January 2022 and the first annual safety board assessment has deemed the trial safe and recommended continuation. We have launched the first adequately powered multi-center pragmatic controlled randomized clinical trial regarding NG tube use after esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction.

Very low risk of short bowel after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass - a large nationwide Swedish cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is one of the most common bariatric procedures. Internal herniation may lead to small bowel ischemia requiring small bowel resection, resulting in short bowel syndrome. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of extensive small bowel resection in patients operated with RYGB. We also aimed to look for early clinical warning signs among patients requiring extensive small bowel resection. SETTING: Cohort from national quality registers. METHODS: All patients having undergone RYGB between January 2007 to June 2019 were analyzed in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (SOReg). We identified patients with small bowel obstruction (SBO) for whom small bowel resection was necessary. Additionally, we assessed clinical signs in these patients. RESULTS: The study included 57,255 patients having undergone RYGB. Closure of the mesenteric openings was performed in 78%. Surgery for SBO was required in 3659 (6%) of patients, and small bowel resection in 188 (.3%). Extensive small bowel resection, resulting in less than 1.5 meters of remaining small bowel, was required in 7 patients (.01%). All patients with extensive small bowel resection presented with abdominal pain and had confirmed internal herniation as the cause of the small bowel resection, and 2 of 7 patients died. Closure of mesenteric defects was not associated with a reduction in overall small bowel resection rates (P = .89) CONCLUSION: Surgery for SBO after RYGB was common (6%). The risk of extensive small bowel resection leading to short bowel was low (.01%). Patients with abdominal pain after RYGB should be assessed for internal hernia, as it can be devastating.

Button battery injury causing an aorto-oesophageal fistula in a 1-year-old child - Sengstaken-Blakemore tube, a life-saving bridge during surgery.

ABBREVIATION: AEF: aorto-oesophageal fistula;BB: button battery;CTA: computed tomography angiography;ER: emergency room;GI: gastro-intestinal;SBT: Sengstaken-Blakemore tube.

Improved survival after laparoscopic compared to open gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer: a Swedish population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic gastrectomy is increasingly used for the treatment of locally advanced gastric cancer but concerns remain whether similar results can be obtained compared to open gastrectomy, especially in Western populations. This study compared the short-term postoperative, oncological and survival outcomes following laparoscopic versus open gastrectomy based on data from the Swedish National Register for Esophageal and Gastric Cancer. METHODS: Patients who underwent surgery with curative intent for adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastroesophageal junction Siewert type III from 2015 to 2020 were identified, and 622 patients with cT2-4aN0-3M0 tumors were included. The impact of surgical approach on short-term outcomes was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Long-term survival was compared using multivariable Cox regression. RESULTS: In total, 350 patients underwent open and 272 laparoscopic gastrectomy, of which 12.9% were converted to open surgery. The groups were similar regarding distribution of clinical disease stage (27.6% stage I, 46.0% stage II, and 26.4% stage III). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 52.7% of the patients. There was no difference in the rate of postoperative complications, but laparoscopic approach was associated with lower 90 day mortality (1.8 vs 4.9%, p = 0.043). The median number of resected lymph nodes was higher after laparoscopic surgery (32 vs 26, p < 0.001), while no difference was found in the rate of tumor-free resection margins. Better overall survival was observed after laparoscopic gastrectomy (HR 0.63, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic gastrectomy can be safely preformed for advanced gastric cancer and is associated with improved overall survival compared to open surgery.

Extent of Lymphadenectomy and Long-term Survival in Esophageal Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the hypothesis that survival in esophageal cancer increases with more removed lymph nodes during esophagectomy up to a plateau, after which it levels out or even decreases with further lymphadenec-tomy. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There is uncertainty regarding the ideal extent of lymphadenectomy during esophagectomy to optimize long-term survival in esophageal cancer. METHODS: This population-based cohort study included almost every patient who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer in Sweden or Finland in 2000-2016 with follow-up through 2019. Degree of lymphadenectomy, divided into deciles, was analyzed in relation to all-cause 5-year mortality. Multivariable Cox regression provided hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) adjusted for all established prognostic factors. RESULTS: Among 2306 patients, the second (4-8 nodes), seventh (21-24 nodes) and eighth decile (25-30 nodes) of lymphadenectomy showed the lowest all-cause 5-year mortality compared to the first decile [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.77, 95% CI 0.61-0.97, HR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.59-0.99, and HR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.57-0.93, respectively]. In stratified analyses, the survival benefit was greatest in decile 7 for patients with pathological T-stage T3/T4 (HR = 0.56, 95% CI0.40-0.78), although it was statistically improved in all deciles except decile 10. For patients without neoadjuvant chemotherapy, survival was greatest in decile 7 (HR = 0.60, 95% CI 0.41-0.86), although survival was also statistically significantly improved in deciles 2, 6, and 8. CONCLUSION: Survival in esophageal cancer was not improved by extensive lymphadenectomy, but resection of a moderate number (20-30) of nodes was prognostically beneficial for patients with advanced T-stages (T3/T4) and those not receiving neoadjuvant therapy.

Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy and Surgery for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Versus Definitive Chemoradiotherapy With Salvage Surgery as Needed: The Study Protocol for the Randomized Controlled NEEDS Trial.

Background: The globally dominant treatment with curative intent for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) with subsequent esophagectomy. This multimodal treatment leads to around 60% overall 5-year survival, yet with impaired post-surgical quality of life. Observational studies indicate that curatively intended chemoradiotherapy, so-called definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) followed by surveillance of the primary tumor site and regional lymph node stations and surgery only when needed to ensure local tumor control, may lead to similar survival as nCRT with surgery, but with considerably less impairment of quality of life. This trial aims to demonstrate that dCRT, with selectively performed salvage esophagectomy only when needed to achieve locoregional tumor control, is non-inferior regarding overall survival, and superior regarding health-related quality of life (HRQOL), compared to nCRT followed by mandatory surgery, in patients with operable, locally advanced ESCC. Methods: This is a pragmatic open-label, randomized controlled phase III, multicenter trial with non-inferiority design with regard to the primary endpoint overall survival and a superiority hypothesis for the experimental intervention dCRT with regard to the main secondary endpoint global HRQOL one year after randomization. The control intervention is nCRT followed by preplanned surgery and the experimental intervention is dCRT followed by surveillance and salvage esophagectomy only when needed to secure local tumor control. A target sample size of 1200 randomized patients is planned in order to reach 462 events (deaths) during follow-up. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04460352.

Population-Based Cohort Study from a Prospective National Registry: Better Long-Term Survival in Esophageal Cancer After Minimally Invasive Compared with Open Transthoracic Esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: Recent research indicates long-term survival benefits of minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) compared with open esophagectomy (OE) for patients with esophageal and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers, but there is a need for more population-based studies. METHODS: We conducted a prospective population-based nationwide cohort study including all patients in Sweden diagnosed with esophageal or junctional cancer who underwent a transthoracic esophagectomy with intrathoracic anastomosis. Data were collected from the Swedish National Register for Esophageal and Gastric Cancer in 2006-2019. Patients were grouped into OE and MIE including hybrid MIE (HMIE) and totally MIE (TMIE). Overall survival and short-term postoperative outcomes were compared using Cox regression and logistic regression models, respectively. All models were adjusted for age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, clinical T and N stage, neoadjuvant therapy, year of surgery, and hospital volume. RESULTS: Among 1404 patients, 998 (71.1%) underwent OE and 406 (28.9%) underwent MIE. Compared with OE, overall survival was better following MIE (hazard ratio [HR] 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55-0.94), TMIE (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.47-0.94), and possibly also after HMIE (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.56-1.02). MIE was associated with shorter operation time, less intraoperative bleeding, higher number of resected lymph nodes, and shorter hospital stay compared with OE. MIE was also associated with fewer overall complications (odds ratio [OR] 0.70, 95% CI 0.47-1.03) as well as non-surgical complications (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.40-1.00). CONCLUSIONS: MIE seems to offer better survival and similar or improved short-term postoperative outcomes in esophageal and GEJ cancers compared with OE in this unselected population-based cohort.

Esophageal perforations - a population-based nationwide study in Sweden with survival analysis.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal perforation is a rare and life-threatening condition with several treatment options. The aim was to assess the incidence, type of treatment and mortality of esophageal perforations in Sweden and to identify risk factors for 90-day mortality. METHOD: All patients admitted with an esophageal perforation from 2007 to 2017 were identified from the National Patient Register. Mortality was assessed by linkage with the Cause of Death Registry. We analyze the incidence and the impact of age, sex, comorbidities on mortality. RESULTS: 879 patients with esophageal perforation were identified, giving an incidence rate of 1.09 per 100,000 person-years. The median age at diagnosis was 68.8 years and 60% were men. The mortality was 26% at 90 days. Independent risk factors for death within 90 days were age (odds ratio (OR): 6.20; 95% (confidence interval) CI: 2.16-17.79 at 60-74 years and OR: 11.58; 95% CI: 4.04-33.15 at 75 years or older), peripheral vascular disease (OR: 2.92; 95% CI: 1.44-5.92) and underlying malignant disease (OR: 5.91; 95% CI: 3.86-9.03). In patients younger than 45 years, survival was lower among women than among men (at 5 years 73 and 93%, respectively). The cause of death among young women was often drug-related or suicide. CONCLUSIONS: 90-day mortality was 26%, old age, vascular disease and underlying malignant disease were risk factors.

Obstruction after Sleeve Gastrectomy, Prevalence, and Interventions: a Cohort Study of 9,726 Patients with Data from the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (SOReg).

BACKGROUND: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is the most common bariatric procedure worldwide. Obstructive symptoms, together with leaks, are among the most serious postoperative complications. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of symptomatic obstruction after SG in Sweden and to explore risk factors, treatment strategies, and outcome. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (SOReg) of patients undergoing SG and developed obstruction symptoms within the first postoperative year was performed. For patients who had undergone any re-intervention, such as endoscopic dilatation or remedial surgery, medical charts were reviewed. RESULTS: From 2007 to 2018, a total of 9,726 SG were performed, and 59 (0.6%) of them developed postoperative obstruction. Intolerance of solid food was the most common symptom associated with obstruction (80%). Sixty-one percent of the patients had obstruction at the level of incisura angularis. Longer operative time, higher rate of perioperative complications, longer hospital stay, and oversewing the staple line were associated with an increased risk of obstruction. Endoscopic balloon dilatation was performed in 59% of patients (n=35) and successful in 18 patients (51%). Twenty-one patients (36%) underwent surgical conversion to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). After revisional surgery, 11 (52%) reported complete relief of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Obstruction was rare (0.6%) and most often located at the incisura angularis. Obstruction was associated with longer operative time, perioperative complications, oversewing of the staple line, and longer hospital stay. Endoscopic dilatation or surgical conversion to RYGB frequently alleviates symptoms, but despite treatment, almost 50% reported residual symptoms.

Malignancy in elective cholecystectomy due to gallbladder polyps or thickened gallbladder wall: a single-centre experience.

INTRODUCTION: Gallbladder cancer is a rare but aggressive malignancy. Surgical resection is recommended for gallbladder polyps ≥10 mm. For gallbladder wall thickening, resection is recommended if malignancy cannot be excluded. The incidence of gallbladder malignancy after cholecystectomy with indications of polyps or wall thickening in the Swedish population is not known. MATERIAL/METHODS: A retrospective study was performed at Linköping University Hospital and included patients who underwent cholecystectomy 2010 - 2018. All cholecystectomies performed due to gallbladder polyps or gallbladder wall thickening without other preoperative malignant signs were identified. Preoperative radiological examinations were re-analysed by a single radiologist. Medical records and histopathology reports were analysed. RESULTS: In all, 102 patients were included, of whom 65 were diagnosed with gallbladder polyps and 37 with gallbladder wall thickening. In each group, one patient (1.5% and 2.7% in each group) had gallbladder malignancy ≥ pT1b.Two (3.1%) and three (8.1%) patients with gallbladder malignancy < T1b were identified in each group. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: This study indicates that the incidence of malignancy is low without other malignant signs beyond gallbladder polyps and/or gallbladder wall thickening. We propose that these patients should be discussed at a multidisciplinary tumour board. If the polyp is 10-15 mm or if the gallbladder wall is thickened but no other malignant signs are observed, cholecystectomy can be safely performed by an experienced general surgeon at a general surgery unit. If the histopathology indicates ≥ pT1b, the patient should be referred immediately to a hepatobiliary centre for liver and lymph node resection.

Abandoning resectional intent in patients initially deemed suitable for esophagectomy: a nationwide study of risk factors and outcomes.

The main curative treatment modality for esophageal cancer is resection. Patients initially deemed suitable for resection may become unsuitable, most commonly due to signs of generalized disease or having become unfit for surgery. The aim was to assess risk factors for abandoning esophagectomy and its impact on survival. All patients diagnosed with an esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer in the Swedish National Register for Esophageal and Gastric Cancer from 2006-2016 were included and risk factors associated with becoming ineligible for resection were analyzed in multivariable logistic regression analysis. Overall survival was explored by multivariable Cox regression models. Among 1,792 patients planned for resection, 189 (11%) became unsuitable for resection before surgery and 114 (6%) had exploratory surgery without resection. Intermediate and high educational levels were associated with an increased probability of resection (odds ratio (OR) 1.46, 95% CI 1.05-2.05, OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.28-2.87, respectively) as was marital status (married: OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.01-1.85). Clinically advanced disease (cT4: OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.16-0.87; cN3: OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.09-0.81) and neoadjuvant treatment were associated with a decreased probability of resection (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46-0.88). Five-year survival for non-resected patients was only 4.5% although neoadjuvant treatment was associated with improved survival (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.56-0.99). Non-resected patients with squamous cell carcinoma had comparatively reduced survival (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.10-2.43). High socioeconomic status was associated with an increased probability of completing the plan to resect whereas clinically advanced disease and neoadjuvant treatment were independent factors associated with increased risk of abandoning resectional intent.

Incidence and treatment of small bowel leak after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a cohort study from the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry.

BACKGROUND: Anastomotic leak at the gastrojejunostomy in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a rare, but serious, complication. Little has been published on leaks at other sites. OBJECTIVES: To assess incidence, risk factors, treatment, and outcome of small bowel leaks at the enteroenteral anastomosis (EA) and undiagnosed iatrogenic small bowel perforations in primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. SETTING: Nationwide cohort, Sweden. METHODS: All leaks within 30 days in 41,342 patients (age 40.8 [standard deviation 11.1] yr, females 68%, and body mass index 42.4 [standard deviation 5.4] kg/m2) between 2007 and 2014 in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry were assessed. Register data and outcomes were verified by reviewing patient charts. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals for significant risk factors. RESULTS: The incidence of small bowel leaks was .3%. Iatrogenic perforations were diagnosed earlier than EA leaks, 3.6 versus 6.5 days after surgery (P = .02). EA leaks were seen in 75 patients (.2%), with surgery at a low-volume center (<125 cases/yr, OR 2.1 [1.0-4.1]) and prolonged operative time (≥90 min, OR 3.5 [1.1-11.0]) as risk factors. The risk of iatrogenic small bowel perforations, .1%, was tripled by prolonged operative time (OR 3.4 [1.2-9.4]). Surgical reintervention was required in 97% of leaks, repairing the defect and draining the abdominal cavity in most cases. A third of the patients required intensive care, of which 5% developed multiorgan failure and 1% died. CONCLUSION: Small bowel leaks, seen in .3%, were associated to prolonged operative time, and surgery at a low-volume center for EA leaks. Surgical reintervention was common, while mortality was low.

Energy restriction in obese women suggest linear reduction of hepatic fat content and time-dependent metabolic improvements.

Energy restriction reduces liver fat, improves hepatic insulin resistance and lipid metabolism. However, temporal data in which these metabolic improvements occur and their interplay is incomplete. By performing repeated MRI scans and blood analysis at day 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28 the temporal changes in liver fat and related metabolic factors were assessed at five times during a low-calorie diet (LCD, 800-1100 kcal/day) in ten obese non-diabetic women (BMI 41.7 ± 2.6 kg/m2) whereof 6 had NAFLD. Mean weight loss was 7.4 ± 1.2 kg (0.7 kg/day) and liver fat decreased by 51 ± 16%, resulting in only three subjects having NAFLD at day 28. Marked alteration of insulin, NEFA, ALT and 3-hydroxybuturate was evident 3 days after commencing LCD, whereas liver fat showed a moderate but a linear reduction across the 28 days. Other circulating-liver fat markers (e.g. triglycerides, adiponectin, stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 index, fibroblast growth factor 21) demonstrated modest and variable changes. Marked elevations of NEFA, 3-hydroxybuturate and ALT concentrations occurred until day 14, likely reflecting increased tissue lipolysis, fat oxidation and upregulated hepatic fatty acid oxidation. In summary, these results suggest linear reduction in liver fat, time-specific changes in metabolic markers and insulin resistance in response to energy restriction.

Incidence and treatment of leak at the gastrojejunostomy in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a cohort study of 40,844 patients.

BACKGROUND: Leak at the gastrojejunostomy (GJ) after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a rare but life-threatening complication. OBJECTIVES: To assess incidence, risk factors, treatment, and outcome of leaks at the GJ after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in a nationwide cohort. SETTING: Sweden. METHODS: Leaks at GJ within 30 days postoperatively in 40,844 patients (age 41 yr, females 76%, and body mass index of 42.4 kg/m2) between 2007 and 2014 in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry were assessed. Register data and outcomes were verified by reviewing patient charts. Logistic regression was done to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for significant risk factors. RESULTS: Leak at the GJ was registered in 262 (.6%) patients, with 44% diagnosed within the first 3 postoperative days. Risk factors were male sex (OR 1.5 [1.1-1.9]), age ≥49 years (OR 1.9 [1.3-2.7]), diabetes (OR 1.4 [1.1-1.9]), conversion to open surgery (OR 3.9 [2.2-6.9]), and operative time ≥90 minutes (OR 2.6 [1.8-3.8]). In most patients, the leak resulted in a severe complication. Reoperative surgery was done in 85%, with the placement of a feeding gastrostomy in 24%. Stents were used at some time point in 31% of leaks. Of all patients with leaks, 25% required intensive care, 4% developed multiorgan failure, and 1% died. Median duration of stay for patients with leaks was 22 days, versus 2 days for others (P < .001). CONCLUSION: GJ leaks occurred in .6% of patients. Risk factors were male sex, age ≥49 years, diabetes, operative time ≥90 minutes, and conversion to open surgery. Surgical reintervention was common. Mortality was 1%.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Circular- and Linear-Stapled Gastro-jejunostomy in Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass.

To compare circular stapler (CS) with linear stapler (LS) in a meta-analysis concerning operative time, anastomotic leaks, wound infections, strictures, and length of stay. Pubmed, Medline, and Scopus were searched for articles published since 2006. Four hundred and five articles were assessed, and 13 articles of which only one was a randomized controlled trial were included in all 49,331 patients from different regions of the world. The pooled analysis shows that operative time was shorter in LS than in CS (weighted mean difference 36.2 min; 95% CI 34.7-37.6.; p < 0.0001). No difference was seen concerning leaks or strictures. The relative risk (RR) of leakage after LS was 80% of the risk after CS; however, the 95% confidence interval (CI) showed overlap (0.58-1.11). The RR of anastomotic stricture after LS was 74% of the risk after CS; however, 95% CI (0.52-1.05) showed overlap. Wound infections were less common after LS than after CS; RR was 27% (95% CI 0.21-0.33). Length of stay (LOS) was 0.65 days shorter after LS than after CS (95% CI 0.51-0.78). LS compared with CS results in shorter operative time, less wound infections, and shorter length of stay, but no difference was seen concerning risks of leaks or strictures.

Anastomotic Strictures After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: a Cohort Study from the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is the most common bariatric procedure worldwide. Anastomotic stricture is a known complication of RYGB. The aim was to explore the incidence and outcomes of strictures within the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (SOReg). METHOD: SOReg included prospective data from 36,362 patients undergoing bariatric surgery in the years 2007-2013. Outcomes were recorded at 30-day and at 1-year follow-up according to the standard SOReg routine. The medical charts of patients suffering from stricture after RYGB were requested and assessed. SETTING: National bariatric surgery registry RESULTS: Anastomotic stricture within 1 year of surgery was confirmed in 101 patients representing an incidence of 0.3%. Risk factors for stricture were patient age above 60 years (odds ratio (OR), 6.2 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.7-14.3), circular stapled gastrojejunostomy (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.4-5.5), postoperative anastomotic leak (OR 8.9 95%, CI 4.7-17.0), and marginal ulcer (OR 30.0, 95% CI 19.2-47.0). Seventy-five percent of the strictures were diagnosed within 70 days of surgery. Two dilatations or less was sufficient to successfully treat 50% of patients. Ten pecent of patients developed perforation during dilatation, and the risk of perforating at each dilatation was 3.8%. Perforation required surgery in six cases but there was no mortality. Strictures in SOReg may be underreported, which could explain the low incidence in the study. CONCLUSION: Most strictures present within 2 months and are successfully treated with two dilatations or less. Dilating a strictured gastrojejunostomy entails a risk of perforation (3.8%).

Early intake of solid food after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and complications. A cohort study from the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is the most common bariatric procedure worldwide. There are few studies investigating how early return to solid food affects complications. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore how oral intake was resumed in RYGB patients and how the postoperative food regimen affects outcomes, such as complications and length of stay. SETTING: Retrospective nationwide registry study. METHODS: The Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry included prospective data from RYGB patients operated in 2009 to 2014. A questionnaire assessed the postoperative reintroduction of solid food applied at each bariatric center. The postoperative regimen was established in 23,589 patients. Outcomes were recorded at 30-day follow-up according to the standard Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry routine. RESULTS: Nine percent of patients (n = 2074) returned to solid food within the first week after surgery. Most commonly solid food was resumed in week 4 (37%, n = 8659). Median length of stay was 2 days for all. Of all, 2.8% suffered from a severe complication (>Clavien-Dindo 3a). After adjusting for the annual volume of procedures at hospitals, there was no correlation that the timing of solid food affected complication rates. The odds ratio for a severe complication was significantly lower for intermediate- (odds ratio .64 95% confidence interval .48-.85) or high- (odds ratio .52 95% confidence interval .42-.66) volume centers. The rate of leaks and small bowel obstructions were evenly distributed between the different postoperative food regimens. CONCLUSION: Early return to solid food after RYGB did not affect the risk of severe complications. Patients operated at centers with an annual volume of >100 procedures have a lower risk of severe complications.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment strategy for patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) remains undetermined. This study compared outcomes in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT) and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) for EAC. METHODS: Patients who underwent nCT or nCRT followed by surgery for EAC were identified from a prospective database (2000-2017) and included. After propensity score matching, the impact of the treatments on postoperative complications, in-hospital mortality, pathological outcomes, and survival rates were compared. RESULTS: Of the 396 eligible patients, 262 patients were analysed following matching with 131 patients in both groups. There were no significant differences between the nCT and nCRT groups for overall complications (59% vs 57%, P = 0.802) or in-hospital mortality (2% vs 0%, P = 0.156). Patients who had nCRT had more R0 resections (93% vs 83%, P = 0.013), and higher pathological complete response rates (15% vs 5%, P < 0.001). No differences in 5-year overall survival rates (nCT vs nCRT; 44% vs 33%, P = 0.645) were found. CONCLUSION: In this study no differences between nCT and nCRT were seen in postoperative complications and in-hospital mortality in patients treated for EAC. Inspite of improved complete resection and pathological response there was no difference in the overall survival between the treatment modalities.