Biliopancreatic diversion for severe obesity: long-term weight maintenance and occurrence of nutritional complications are two facets of the same coin.

BACKGROUND: Despite the widespread clinical use of hypoabsorptive metabolic bariatric surgery, very long-term outcomes are still lacking. The aim of the study was to assess the long-term safety and efficacy of biliopancreatic diversion at 30 years in patients with class 3 obesity (BMI over 40 kg/m2). METHODS: This retrospective single-centre study used data from a prospectively collected database on a sample of consecutive patients submitted to biliopancreatic diversion with a minimum follow-up of 30 years. Outcomes assessed included overall survival, long-term weight loss and weight maintenance, remission of obesity-related co-morbidities, and short- and long-term surgical and/or nutritional or metabolic complications. RESULTS: Among 199 consecutive patients (136 female, 63 male) who had surgery between November 1992 and April 1994, the mean age at operation was 38 (range 14-69) years and mean preoperative BMI was 48.7 (32.0-74.3) kg/m2. At baseline, 91 of 199 patients (45.7%) had type 2 diabetes. At 20 and 30 years, 122 (61%) and 38 (19%) of the 199 patients respectively were available for follow-up. At 30 years, the overall mortality rate was 12% (23 of 199). Surgical complications were concentrated in the short-term follow-up, whereas nutritional or metabolic complications increased progressively over time. A nutritional complication was diagnosed in 73 of 122 patients (60%) at 20 years and 28 of 38 (74%) at 30 years. Weight loss and glycaemic control were maintained throughout the follow-up; mean % total weight loss was 32.8 (range 14.1-50.0) at 1 year and 37.7 (range 16.7-64.8) at 30 years. One patient presented with recurrence of type 2 diabetes at 20 and 30 years; there were no patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSION: Biliopancreatic diversion leads to good and sustained weight maintenance up to 30 years with low perioperative risk, but at the cost of a high long-term prevalence of nutritional complications.

Pyrrhic victory? Long-term results of biliopancreatic diversion on patients with type 2 diabetes and severe obesity.

BACKGROUND: The long-term results after biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and severe obesity is still being debated. OBJECTIVE: Retrospective evaluation of the long-term metabolic and clinical conditions of patients with T2D following BPD. SETTING: University hospital. METHODS: A total of 173 patients with T2D and severe obesity were investigated prior to and at 3-5 and 10-20 years after BPD. Anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical findings preoperatively and throughout follow-up were considered. The long-term data were compared with those of a cohort of 173 T2D patients with obesity treated with conventional therapy. RESULTS: T2D resolved within the first postoperative phases in most patients, and in the long and very long term, the fasting blood glucose level remained above the normal range in only 8% of patients. Likewise, a stable improvement of blood lipid pattern was observed (follow-up rate 63%). In contrast, in nonsurgical patients in the long term, the glucose and lipid metabolic parameters remained in the pathologic range in all cases. In the BPD group, a very high number of severe BPD-related complications was recorded, and 27% of the BPD patients died, whereas in the control group, 87% of patients were still alive at the end of the follow-up period (P < .02). CONCLUSION: Despite the high T2D stable resolution rate and the normalization of most metabolic data at 10-20 years following surgery, these results indicate that BPD should be indicated with caution in the surgical treatment of T2D in patients with severe obesity.

Diabetes Resolution at 10 Years After Biliopancreatic Diversion in Overweight and Class 1 Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Long-term anti-diabetic effects of BPD in overweight or class 1 obese T2DM patients were investigated reporting the results at 10 years after BPD performed in severely non-obese T2DM patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty T2DM patients with BMI lower than 35 kg/m2 were investigated at 1, 5, and 10 years after BPD, and the results are compared with those of 30 T2DM patients followed for 10 years on pharmacological and/or behavioral conventional therapy. RESULTS: Mean levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and serum glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) showed a marked reduction 1 year after BPD, values remaining slightly above the diabetic range throughout the entire follow-up. T2DM remission was observed in about 50% of the cases at 5 and 10 years after the operation. In 16 patients (53%), severe BPD-related complications developed, in ten cases requiring a surgical revision of the operation. In the BPD group, one patient died for malignant lymphoma and two patients after surgical revision. Within the control group, during the 10-year follow-up, no changes in the diabetic status were observed, being the FBG and HbA1C mean values higher than those recorded in the BPD patients at any follow-up time. All T2DM subjects of the control group were alive at the end of the 10-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Despite satisfactory long-term metabolic outcomes, these data indicate that BPD should be used with caution as a metabolic procedure in the treatment of T2DM in overweight or class 1obese patients.

Type 2 Diabetes Remission and Control in Overweight and in Mildly Obese Diabetic Patients at Long-Term Follow-Up After Biliopancreatic Diversion.

BACKGROUND: In severely obese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), the metabolic benefits after biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) are due to mechanisms independent of weight loss. Therefore, the anti-diabetic effect of BPD in overweight or mildly obese T2DM patients was investigated. METHODS: Ninety T2DM patients with BMI 25-35 underwent BPD and were evaluated 1 and 5 years after the operation (follow-up rate 100 and 83%, respectively). RESULTS: T2DM control (Hb1Ac < 7%) and remission (Hb1Ac < 6 without antidiabetics) was observed in 86.6 and 65% of cases at 1 year and 64.0% and 26.5% at 5 years, respectively. The long-term T2DM remission was predicted by baseline BMI value. Both before BPD and throughout the follow-up period, HOMA values were similar in the metabolically successful and unsuccessful subjects, while C-peptide normalized for FBG value as a marker of beta cell mass and insulin secretion increased progressively only in the former from 1.06 ± 0.64 to 1.44 ± 1.08 mcg/l ml/dl-1 * 100 (p < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In T2DM patients with BMI of 25-35, a positive metabolic outcome is less frequent than in their counterparts with morbid obesity. In T2DM overweight patients, in spite of a short-term normalization of FBG and HbA1c levels and a well-sustained increase of insulin sensitivity, a long-term T2DM relapse occurs in the majority of the cases. While the surgically obtained decrease in insulin resistance leads to T2DM control in half of the patients, the increase in insulin secretion is mandatory for T2DM stable remission.

Management of malabsorptive bariatric surgery after cancer surgery for malignancies of the digestive apparatus.

BACKGROUND: Data regarding management of former bariatric operations after onset of a malignancy are still lacking and there is no consensus whether bariatric surgery negatively influences the oncologic management of patients. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the strategy by which patients previously submitted to bariatric surgery were managed after diagnosis of malignancy of the digestive apparatus, whether a revision was performed or not, to assess the incidence of nutritional complications, and the effect of revision versus no revision of bariatric surgery on the outcome of cancer treatment. SETTING: University Hospital, Italy. METHODS: Occurrence of a malignancy of the digestive apparatus in patients submitted to biliopancreatic diversion was investigated retrospectively. Patients' data were collected preoperatively, at 2 and 3 years after the operation, at oncologic diagnosis, and at the longest available postoncologic follow-up. RESULTS: From May 1976 to January 2017, 3341 morbidly obese patients were submitted to biliopancreatic diversion. Sixteen patients were diagnosed with a malignancy involving the digestive apparatus 5 to 28 years after bariatric surgery. Of 10 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer, 6 were revised. At 2 years after biliopancreatic diversion, body mass index, hemoglobin, and iron levels were significantly lower than preoperatively. Serum transferrin and total protein were unchanged. There was no difference between body mass index, hemoglobin, transferrin, and total protein levels at 2 years and at oncologic diagnosis, or between revised and unrevised patients. CONCLUSION: Revision of a preexisting bariatric operation after digestive cancer surgery is common, although selected, unrevised cases do not seem to be associated with worse outcome.

The long-term impact of biliopancreatic diversion on glycemic control in the severely obese with type 2 diabetes mellitus in relation to preoperative duration of diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery has been shown to be effective in severely obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the long-term efficacy of biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) for the treatment of T2DM depending on the preoperative duration of T2DM. SETTING: University Hospital. METHODS: Retrospective analysis investigating 2 subsets of severely obese patients who had undergone BPD from 1984 to 1995. The first included 52 patients with a preoperative T2DM duration of ~1 year (SD group - 49 on oral agents and 3 on insulin), and the second included 68 patients who had been diabetic for>5 years before BPD (LD group - 52 on oral agents and 16 on insulin). Postoperatively, T2DM was regarded as in remission when fasting serum glucose (FSG) was lower than 100 mg/dL on regular diet and without antidiabetic therapy. RESULTS: In the SD patients, the number of individuals without T2DM remission were lower both at 5-10 (0/31, 0% of patients, versus 8/54, 15% of patients, p<.04) and at>15 years (1/28, 3% of patients, versus 10/41, 24% of patients, p<.0012). Furthermore, after BPD, the number of patients with dyslipidemia strongly reduced (p<.001) in both groups, values at 5-10 years remaining very similar to those observed at>15 years. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that severely obese patients with longer T2DM duration have a worse metabolic outcome maintained at long and very long term following BPD.

Effects of gastric bypass on type 2 diabetes in patients with BMI 30 to 35.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate if the benefits on glycemic control following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in morbidly obese type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients are maintained in the 30-35 kg/m(2) BMI (body mass index) range, comparing results with those in literature. METHODS: The study participants were twenty T2DM patients aging 35-70 years, BMI 30.0-34.9 kg/m(2), minimum diabetes duration 3 years, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥7.5% despite good clinical practice medical therapy, submitted to laparoscopic RYGB, and monitored during 36 months. Twenty-seven matched diabetic patients as controls. RESULTS: Five females, mean age 57 (42-69) years, weight 96.0 (70-111) kg, BMI 32.9 (30.3-34.9) kg/m(2), waist circumference 112 (100-128) cm, diabetes duration 14 (3-28) years, HbA1c 9.5 (7.5-14.2) %, and C-peptide 3.2 (1,6-9.1) mcg/l. Ten patients were on insulin. There was no mortality, and there were two major late complications. BMI and waist decreased stabilizing around 25 kg/m(2) and 92 cm. Fasting serum glucose and HbA1c reached values around 150 mg/dl and 7%, which subsequently maintained. There was remission in 25% of cases, control 45%, and all the others improved. HOMA-IR and insulin sensitivity index normalized at 1 month, then maintained. AIR and insulinogenic index showed no postoperative changes. Diabetes remission correlated negatively with duration (p < 0.05; r (2) = 0.61), while control positively with C-peptide (p < 0.05; r (2) = 0.19). In the control group, FSG, HbA1c, serum triglyceride, and cholesterol significantly decreased with considerable progressive increase of antidiabetic/antihyperlipemic therapy. All patients had HbA1c >7% at 2-3 years. CONCLUSIONS: Glycemic control obtained by RYGB in this study was less good than that reported by others, apparently due to different patient selection criteria. Our results do not support RYGB weight loss-independent effect on beta-cell function in the T2DM patients with BMI 30-35 kg/m(2).

Physical activity after surgically obtained weight loss: study with a SenseWear armband in subjects undergoing biliopancreatic diversion.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to understand the role of the extra load of body mass in limiting physical activity and in preventing an active lifestyle in severely obese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out in a University Hospital setting, and investigates severely obese patients, having undergone biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) for obesity and control subjects with a body weight closely similar to that of the BPD subjects; energy intake was evaluated by alimentary interview and energy expenditure was assessed with the Body Media SenseWear® Pro armband (SWA). RESULTS: SWA metabolic efficiency (MET) was negatively associated with body mass index values (ρ = -0.464, p < 0.01), and the SWA overall energy expenditure was very similar to the energy alimentary intake in the obese patients and in the control subjects. Among the controls, the MET mean value was higher (p < 0.05) than that observed both in obese and in BPD subjects (1.392 ± 0.211 vs. 1.149 ± 0.181 and 1.252 ± 0.284, respectively); furthermore, in comparison with the obese and the BPD groups, among the control individuals a greater number of active persons (27% vs. 0 and 7%, respectively) and a lower number of sedentary persons (27% vs. 70 and 43%, respectively) was found (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest the reliability of SWA data in assessing energy expenditure and tend to rule out the hypothesis that in severely obese patients the extra load of body mass by itself is a main factor limiting physical activity and leading to a sedentary lifestyle.

Body weight at developmental age in siblings born to mothers before and after surgically induced weight loss.

BACKGROUND: To gain insight into the role of epigenetic factors in determining body weight in adolescence, we studied the body weight of siblings born to the same mother before and after biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) for obesity. The study was performed in a university hospital during a 20-year period. METHODS: The siblings born before and after BPD were retrospectively rated by their mother as normal, overweight, or obese at 1, 6, and 12 years. RESULTS: At 1 and 6 years, the body weight was rated as similar in the subsets. However, at 12 years of age, a greater percentage of those born before BPD were considered overweight (42% versus 33%) and obese (22% versus 3%; P <.009) than their counterparts born after BPD. Considering only the subjects aged 21-25 years at the study period, the body weight and body mass index in subjects born before BPD were greater (P <.02 and P <.012, respectively) than in those born after BPD (79.5 ± 16.5 kg versus 66.7 ± 11.8 kg, and 27.5 ± 3.9 kg/m(2) versus 23.4 ± 3.7 kg/m(2), respectively). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study, in which the influences of the genetic pattern and environmental and educational factors were minimized, show that adolescents born to post-BPD mothers weigh less than their siblings born to the same mother before BPD when she was still obese. An insulin-resistant milieu during pregnancy could account for the greater body weight later in adolescence.

The effects of biliopancreatic diversion on type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients with mild obesity (BMI 30-35 kg/m2) and simple overweight (BMI 25-30 kg/m2): a prospective controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Beneficial effects of BPD on T2DM in BMI >35 kg/m(2) patients are far better than those in patients with BMI 25-35. This study was aimed at investigating if a similar difference exists between patients with mild obesity (OB, BMI 30-35) or simple overweight (OW, BMI 25-30). METHODS: Fifteen OB (six M) and 15 OW (13 M), diabetic for ≥ 3 years, with HbA1c ≥ 7.5% despite medical therapy, underwent BPD. OB/OW: age 55.1 ± 8.0/57.8 ± 6.7 years, BMI 33.1 ± 1.5/28.0 ± 1.3 kg/m(2), diabetes duration 11.6 ± 8.0/11.1 ± 6.1 years, insulin therapy 4/8 p. FSG and HbA1c were determined preoperatively and up to 2 years. Insulin resistance and beta-cell function were explored by means of HOMA-IR and IVGTT (AIR). Thirty-eight diabetic patients on medical therapy served as controls. RESULTS: Mean BMI stabilized around 27 since the 4th month in OB, and 24 since 1st month in OW. FSG in OB/OW preop, 1, 12, 24 months: 234 ± 76/206 ± 62 mg/dL, 154 ± 49/176 ± 75, 131 ± 32/167 ± 48, 134 ± 41/154 ± 41 (cross-sectional n.s. at all times); HbA1c: 9.5 ± 1.6/9.1 ± 1.3, 7.3 ± 1.1/7.3 ± 1.2, 5.9 ± 0.6/7.1 ± 1.1 (p < 0.01), 5.9 ± 0.9/6.9 ± 1.1 (p < 0.01). HOMA-IR, preoperatively 10.7 ± 5.8/7.5 ± 5.4, went below 3.0 at 1 month and remained such until 2 years in both groups. AIR, preoperatively 1.11 ± 3.17/1.27 ± 2.68 µIU/mL, in OB significantly increased at 4 months to 7.63 ± 5.79, maintained up to 2 years with 6.95 ± 3.19, whereas in OW, statistical significance was reached only at 2 years with 5.02 ± 4.87. CONCLUSIONS: Significantly different BPD effect, thus biological severity of T2DM, also exists between mildly obese and simply overweight patients. The rise of AIR allows hoping that an increase of beta-cell mass may occur in the long run.

Effects of biliopanceratic diversion on type 2 diabetes in patients with BMI 25 to 35.

OBJECTIVE: Biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) resolves type 2 diabetes in near totality of morbidly obeses [BMI (body mass index) ≥35 kg/m]. However, studies of BPD effect in BMI range 25.0 to 34.9 kg/m, including about 90% of diabetic patients, are lacking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: If BPD effects are independent of weight changes, they should be maintained in patients who, being mildly obese or overweight, will lose little or no weight after operation. Thirty type 2 diabetic patients with BMI 25 to 34.9 were submitted to BPD and monitored 12 months. Thirty-eight diabetic patients selected from a large database, kept 1 year on medical therapy, served as controls. RESULTS: Nineteen male and 11 female. Mean age 56.4 ± 7.4 years, weight 84.8 ± 11.1 kg, BMI 30.6 ± 2.9 kg/m, waist circumference 104 ± 9.4 cm, diabetes duration 11.2 ± 6.9 years, HbA1c 9.3±1.5. Twelve patients on insulin. Fifteen (2 F) with BMI < 30 (mean: 28.1). No mortality or major adverse events occurred. BMI progressively decreased, stabilizing around 25 since the fourth month, without excessive weight loss. One year after BPD, mean HbA1c was 6.3%±0.8, with 25 patients (83%) controlled (HbA1c≤7%) on free diet, without antidiabetics, and the remaining improved. Acute insulin response to intravenous glucose had increased from 1.2 ± 2.9 to 4.2 ± 4.4 µIU/mL. Diabetes resolution correlated positively with BMI. HbA1c decreased at 1 year in the control group, along with an overall increased amount of antidiabetic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: BPD improves or resolves diabetes in BMI 25 to 35 without causing excessive weight loss, its action being on insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function. The strikingly different response between morbidly obese and low BMI patients might depend on different beta-cell defect. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00996294.

Effect of biliopancreatic diversion on hypertension in severely obese patients.

Hypertension is a medical disorder frequently associated with severe obesity, and the effect of weight loss on the reduction of blood pressure has been well established. In this study, the relationships between the weight loss surgically obtained by biliopancreatic diversion and blood pressure were investigated in a population of severely obese patients with preoperative hypertension. At 1 year following the operation, blood pressure was normalized in more than half of patients; in a further 10% of cases the hypertensive status resolved within the 3-year follow-up period. The resolution of hypertension was independently associated with age and body weight and was unrelated to sex, the amount of weight loss, or body fat distribution. In severely obese patients with hypertension undergoing bariatric surgery, biliopancreatic diversion is advisable since it achieves and supports the maintenance of body weight close to the ideal value.

Long-term effect of biliopancreatic diversion on blood pressure in hypertensive obese patients.

BACKGROUND: The weight loss surgically induced by gastroplasty or gastric banding has only a transitory effect on the arterial hypertension of the severely obese patients, and a prevalence of hypertension similar to that of controls has been reported 8 years after the operation. METHODS: We studied the effects of biliopancreatic diversion in a series of 73 severely obese patients with preoperative hypertension throughout a 10-year follow-up period. Body weight dropped from 135.5 kg to 84.8 kg and remained substantially unchanged during the entire 10-year period, hypertension resolved in 41 subjects within the first postoperative year and the resolution rate increased slightly and progressively with time: at 10 years only 15 subjects were still hypertensive. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) value decreased within the first postoperative year as well as the pulse pressure (mean +/- standard deviation from 168 +/- 25 to 143 +/- 22 mm Hg, from 105 +/- 18 to 88 +/- 13 mm Hg, and from 65 +/- 16 to 50 +/- 13 mm Hg, respectively) and remained essentially unchanged throughout all the follow-up; 10 years after surgery the systolic BP and pulse pressure values (127 +/- 14 mm Hg and 42 +/- 6 mm Hg, respectively) were significantly lower than those observed at shorter term. CONCLUSIONS: In severely obese patients with arterial hypertension, the weight loss determined by biliopancreatic diversion in most cases is accompanied by the normalization of BP, which remains into physiological range until very long term.

Thirteen years of follow-up in patients with adjustable silicone gastric banding for obesity: weight loss and constant rate of late specific complications.

BACKGROUND: Despite its simplicity, safety and good short-term results, progressive weight regain and a high incidence of complications have been reported after the adjustable silicone gastric banding (ASGB). The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term results of this operation in our patient population. METHODS: Between 1990 and 1996, 45 morbidly obese patients underwent insertion of an ASGB. The trend of the patients' BMI over time was studied using a linear mixed effect model adjusted for the preoperative BMI. So as to estimate the cumulative probability of band removal and the cumulative hazard function, Lambda(t) Kaplan-Meier analysis was used. RESULTS: 1 year after the operation, the average BMI was 79% of its preoperative value, which then increased linearly over time. The slope of the regression line was estimated at beta =0.42, indicating an average increase of 0.42 BMI units per year. 27 bands (60%) were removed because of specific late complications. The cumulative risk of band removal increased linearly with time. The hazard rate was estimated to be lambda =0.008 events/patient/month, corresponding to 0.1 events/patient/year. CONCLUSIONS: ASGB yielded good short-term results, but the progressive weight regain and constant risk of complications in the long term tend to nullify the optimism.

Liver damage in severely obese patients: a clinical-biochemical-morphologic study on 1,000 liver biopsies.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative clinical and biochemical data and intraoperative liver biopsy of 1,000 obese patients submitted to biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) were analyzed, and correlations investigated. METHODS: Of 2,645 patients submitted to BPD between May 1976 and November 2002, the last 1,000 consecutive obese patients with no history of alcohol consumption or infectious hepatitis were selected. Clinical data included: age, body weight, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (W/H), arterial blood pressure, serum glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, albumin/gamma-globulin ratio, total, conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin, gamma-GT, alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT, and prothrombin time. The degree of steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis on intraoperative wedge liver biopsy was determined and scored. Liver steatosis >70% and presence of bridging fibrosis were analyzed separately. RESULTS: Mean BMI was 48 kg/m(2). 263 patients had steatosis of >70%, and 79 had bridging fibrosis. Regression analysis showed an association between steatosis and AST, ALT, AST/ALT ratio, body weight, W/H, serum glucose, serum tryglicerides, BMI, gamma-GT, age, and unconjugated bilirubin. Inflammation was significantly greater in older patients. Patients with bridging fibrosis had significantly higher values of serum glucose, AST, gamma-GT, serum cholesterol and were significantly older. Bridging fibrosis was associated with diabetes, W/H >1, hypertension, albumin/gamma-globulin ratio <1. CONCLUSION: Severe steatosis and bridging fibrosis seem to be associated with the metabolic syndrome. No reliable biochemical data could identify patients with severe chronic liver damage with sufficient sensitivity to avoid liver biopsy for diagnosis and staging of the disease.

A 15-year evaluation of biliopancreatic diversion according to the Bariatric Analysis Reporting Outcome System (BAROS).

BACKGROUND: Biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) is the most effective bariatric procedure in terms of weight loss. However, analysis of the quality of life (QoL) has never been reported. The BAROS, giving a score to each operated patient on weight loss, improvement in medical conditions, QoL, complications and reoperations, has proven to be a standard reference for evaluating bariatric surgery outcomes. METHODS: In order to apply the BAROS to BPD, we sent a questionnaire to 1,800 BPD patients who had been operated between 1984 and 1998. The response-rate was 51.2%. Out of 1,709 questionnaires which actually reached their destination, we had 858 fully compiled returned. There were 615 women. 596 patients had had an ad hoc stomach (AHS) BPD, and 262 had had an ad hoc stomach ad hoc alimentary limb (AHS-AHAL) BPD. RESULTS: According to the scoring key, 3.5% were classified as a failure, 11% were fair results, 22.8% good, 39.5% very good, and 23.2% excellent results. Considering AHS BPD and AHS-AHAL BPD separately,while the mean excess weight percent loss was 70.5+/-23 and 64.7+/-17 respectively, the failure rate was 6% in the first group and 2% in the AHAL group, while 11% and 6% of cases respectively were fair results, 24% and 20% good, 36% and 47% very good, 23% and 25% excellent results. CONCLUSION: The BAROS evaluation of BPD highlights the importance of its flexibility: the new policy of adapting the procedure to individual characteristics caused a drop in the failure rate and an increase in good, very good and excellent results.

Short-term liver function after biliopancreatic diversion.

BACKGROUND: Liver failure after biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) has been reported. Although in our series of 2,515 BPD with a minimum follow-up of 12 months we have never observed this complication, a transitory and significant rise in serum AST and ALT has been detected in some cases, suggesting the occurrence of transient liver damage. To assess if risk factors for acute liver damage after BPD could be identified, we studied the evolution of hepatic biochemistry in a sample of our operated subjects. METHODS: We studied 99 consecutive patients submitted to the same type of BPD (ad hoc stomach, ad hoc alimentary limb). Patients with a history of alcohol consumption or positive hepatic serology were excluded. Preoperative body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), excess weight (EW), % excess weight (%EW), fasting serum glucose level (SG), hepatic histology (HI), weight loss (WL) at 2, 4 and 12 months, and excess weight % loss (IEW%L) at the same time were correlated with preoperative and 2, 4 and 12 months hepatic biochemistry. RESULTS: Compared with preoperative values, AST levels at 2 months significantly increased (Student's t-test, P=0.0003) and significantly decreased at 12 months (P=0.0001). Spearman's Rank test showed significant correlations between 2 months AST levels and WL at 2 months (P =0.005), preoperative BW (P <0.0001), SG (P =0.01), and HI (inflammation P<0.0001, fibrosis P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Hepatocellular necrosis in our series peaks at 2 months, and decreases afterwards.WL at 2 months, preoperative BW, SG and HI seem to be of help in identifying patients at increased risk for acute liver damage, prompting the need for an enhanced surveillance.

Radiology of patients with vertical banded gastroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The authors evaluated the usefulness of routine traditional radiology in the management of patients submitted to VBG. METHODS: Radiological findings in 65 subjects who had undergone VBG were evaluated. Post-surgical clinical and radiological examinations were performed 3 days, 1, 4 and 12 months after surgery. Upper GI symptoms, gastroesophageal imaging and 80% solid meal pouch emptying time were recorded. RESULTS: The routine postoperative study, in the absence of clinical symptoms, showed no unsuspected complication in any patient, both in the early and in the late postoperative period. There was no significant correlation at 4 and 12 months between emptying time and duration of satiation, emptying time and percent excess weight loss (%EWL), and duration of satiation and %EWL. CONCLUSIONS: Traditional radiological studies can be safely omitted from both the immediate postoperative period and from the long-term follow-up in asymptomatic VBG patients. The studies were not helpful in understanding functional changes leading to weight loss after VBG.