A comprehensive analysis of health care Inequities in randomized clinical trials following bariatric surgeries.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a global epidemic, leading to an increasing focus on interventions like bariatric surgeries. Despite this, there's a noticeable gap in understanding the demographic distribution of patients in clinical trials for bariatric surgery. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of 117 registered randomized clinical trials related to bariatric surgery on ClinicalTrials.gov. We extracted demographic information, including age, sex, race, and ethnicity, and performed descriptive statistical analyses. RESULTS: The analysis covered 8,418 participants. The mean age was 43.8 years, with a substantial majority (93.8 â€‹%) falling within the 18-65 age group. Females comprised 74.9 â€‹% of participants, surpassing real-world estimates. Racially, 65.3 â€‹% of participants were White, while African Americans represented 18.5 â€‹%, Asians 1.2 â€‹%, Native Hawaiians 0.2 â€‹%, and American Indians 0.1 â€‹%, indicating an underrepresentation of diverse racial groups, notably lower compared to real-world demographic data. In terms of ethnicity, only 17.6 â€‹% were Hispanic. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals significant demographic disparities in patients undergoing bariatric surgeries in clinical trials. This suggests a lack of generalizability, emphasizing the need for inclusive recruitment strategies to enhance health equity.

Revisional Bariatric Surgery After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass for Bile Reflux: a Single-Center Long-Term Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Revisional bariatric surgery (RBS) after primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is indicated for the efficient management of specific complications such as bile reflux. Published literature on this topic remains scarce as we aim to evaluate the long-term outcomes (10 years) of RBS for bile reflux after RYGB. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective study of patients who underwent primary RYGB complicated by bile reflux and had RBS between 2008 and 2023. Our cohort was divided into two groups based on the etiology of bile reflux. Long-term surgical outcomes and nutritional status were reported and compared between the groups. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients (100% primary RYGB; 90.2% female, 97.6% white) were included. 56.1% (n = 23) of patients underwent Roux limb lengthening and the remaining 43.9% (n = 18) had a gastrogastric fistula takedown, with no significant differences in terms of intraoperative complications, estimated blood loss (p = 0.616), length of hospital stay (p = 0.099), and postoperative complications between the two groups. Long-term resolution of obesity-related medical conditions was demonstrated for all the evaluated comorbidities. Lastly, there was no reported mortality, bile reflux recurrence, or micro- and macro-nutrient deficiencies over the total follow-up period of 10 years. CONCLUSION: In our cohort, RBS after a primary RYGB for bile reflux management demonstrated safe and efficient short- and long-term surgical outcomes without any reported bile reflux recurrence or mortality. Adequate supplementation and close patient follow-up remain essential to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with RBS as further studies are required to support our findings.

Comprehensive outcomes after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with a near-complete 15-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass has a well-established safety and efficacy profile in the short and mid-term. Long-term outcomes remain limited in the literature, especially for follow-up periods of >10 years. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the long-term durability and safety of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass over a near-complete 15-year follow-up. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass between 2008 and 2009 with ≥14-year follow-up. Data collected and analyzed were weight loss, obesity-related medical condition resolution and recurrence, weight recurrence, complication rate, and mortality rate. RESULTS: A total of 264 patients were included. Patients were predominantly female (81.8%), and the mean age and preoperative body mass index were 48.5 ± 12.2 years and 44.9 ± 7.3 kg/m2, respectively. The maximum mean percentage total weight loss achieved at 1 year was 31.5% ± 5.7% and was consistently >20% throughout follow-up. Sustained resolution of obesity-related medical conditions was achieved with a remission rate of 60.8% for type 2 diabetes mellitus, 46.7% for denoted dyslipidemia, and 40% for hypertension. Obesity-related medical condition recurrence was observed with a recurrence rate of 24.1% for type 2 diabetes mellitus, 17.9% for hypertension, and 14.8% for denoted dyslipidemia. Significant factors associated with weight loss were maximum percentage total weight loss and preoperative type 2 diabetes mellitus. Over 15 years, the weight recurrence rate was 51.1%, with predictors of higher preoperative body mass index and preoperative type 2 diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass provides sustainable weight loss over a 15-year period, with consistent long-term weight-loss outcomes and resolution of obesity-related medical conditions sustained for ≥10 years after surgery.

Single anastomosis duodenal switch versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in patients with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2: a multi-centered comparative analysis.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has consistently demonstrated excellent weight loss and comorbidity resolution. However, outcomes vary based on patient's BMI. Single anastomosis duodeno-ileostomy with sleeve (SADI-S) is a novel procedure with promising short-term results. The long-term outcomes of SADI-S in patients with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2 are not well described. We aim to compare the safety and efficacy of SADI-S with RYGB in this patient population. METHODS: We performed a multicenter retrospective study of patients with a BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2 who underwent RYGB or SADI-S between 2008 and 2023. Patient demographics, peri- and post-operative characteristics were collected. Complication rates were reported at 6, 12, 24, and 60 months postoperatively. A multivariate linear regression was used to evaluate and compare weight loss outcomes between both procedures. RESULTS: A total of 968 patients (343 RYGB and 625 SADI-S; 68.3% female, age 42.9 ± 12.1 years; BMI 57.3 ± 6.7 kg/m2) with a mean follow-up of 3.6 ± 3.6 years were included. Patients who underwent RYGB were older, more likely to be female, and have a higher rate of sleep apnea (p < 0.001), hypertension (p = 0.015), dyslipidemia (p < 0.001), and type 2 diabetes (p = 0.016) at baseline. The rate of bariatric surgery-specific complications was lower after SADI-S compared to RYGB. We reported no bariatric surgery related deaths after 1 year following both procedures. SADI-S demonstrated statistically higher and sustained weight loss at each time interval compared to RYGB (p < 0.001) even after controlling for multiple confounders. Lastly, the rate of surgical non-responders was lower in the SADI-S cohort. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort, SADI-S was associated with higher and sustained weight-loss results compared to RYGB. Comorbidity resolution was also higher after SADI-S. Both procedures demonstrate a similar safety profile. Further studies are required to validate the long-term safety of SADI-S compared to other bariatric procedures.

The association between microvascular and macrovascular diseases and diabetes remission after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) results in detrimental vascular complications including both microvascular and macrovascular diseases. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) are effective weight-loss therapies that enhance T2DM remission. However, limited data are present regarding the association between diabetes-associated diseases before RYGB and SG with T2DM remission. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study in patients with T2DM who underwent RYGB or SG. We collected data on preoperative microvascular (i.e., retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy) and macrovascular (coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular accidents, and peripheral artery disease) diabetes-associated diseases. Our end points included assessment of association and cumulative effect of diabetes-associated diseases and disease remission. We also performed a multivariate logistic regression to evaluate the parameters associated with T2DM remission. RESULTS: A total of 536 patients (67% female, 94% White) were included in this study. Patients without diabetes-associated diseases had an OR of 2.72 (95% CI 1.92 to 3.88) to achieve T2DM remission compared to patients with diabetes-associated diseases (27.9% vs 59.4%; p < 0.001). Importantly, there was an additive effect of the number of diabetes-associated diseases on the T2DM remission (p < 0.001). We demonstrate a significant association between HbA1c (p < 0.001), number of diabetes medications (p < 0.001), T2DM duration (p < 0.001), surgery type (p = 0.009), and insulin use (p = 0.04) with T2DM remission. CONCLUSION: Patients with presurgical diabetes-associated diseases had a lower remission rate after RYGB and SG. Not only do these complications represent a more practical and consistent variable to predict T2DM remission, but also help planning a multidisciplinary management of patients with more severe T2DM.

Preoperative duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus and remission after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: A single center long-term cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has demonstrated excellent glycemic control and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remission for patients with obesity and T2DM. Duration of T2DM is a consistent negative predictor of remission after RYGB. However, the exact timing to offer surgical intervention during the course of the disease is not well elucidated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study between 2008-2020 to establish the exact association between duration of T2DM and remission after RYGB. We divided our cohort into quartiles of preoperative disease duration to quantify the change in remission rates for each year of delay between T2DM diagnosis and RYGB. We also compared the average time to remission and changes in glycemic control parameters. RESULTS: A total of 519 patients (67.2% female; age 53.4±10.7 y; BMI 46.6±8.4 kg/m2) with a follow-up period of 6.6±3.8 years were included. Remission was demonstrated in 51% of patients. Longer duration of T2DM was a significant negative predictor of remission with an estimated decrease in remission rates of 7% for each year of delay ([OR=0.931 (95% CI 0.892-0.971)]; P<0.001). Compared to patients with <3 years of T2DM, remission decreased by 37% for patients with 3-6 years, 64% for those with 7-12 years and 81% for patients with more than 12 years (P<0.001). Half of the patients reached T2DM remission after 0.5 and 1.1 years respectively for the first and second quartiles, while patients in the other quartiles never reached 50% remission. Lastly, we noted an overall improvement in all glycemic control parameters for all quartiles at last follow-up. CONCLUSION: Patients with a recent history of T2DM who undergo early RYGB experience significantly higher and earlier T2DM remission compared to patients with a prolonged history of preoperative T2DM, suggesting potential benefit of early surgical intervention to manage patients with obesity and T2DM.

Type-2 diabetes mellitus remission prediction models after Roux-En-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy based on disease severity scores.

AIM: Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is considered one of the most effective interventions for weight loss and associated type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remission. Multiple scores including the Individualized Metabolic Surgery (IMS), DiaRem, advanced DiaRem, and Robert et al. scores, have been developed predict T2DM remission after MBS. We aim to validate each of these scores in our cohort of patients undergoing MBS with long-term follow-up and assess their efficacy based on procedure type and preoperative BMI. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter cohort study including patients with T2DM undergoing either Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Areas under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC) were calculated to assess the discriminatory ability of the four models to detect T2DM remission. RESULTS: A total of 503 patients (67 % females, mean age 53.5 [11] years, BMI 46.2 [8.8] kg/m2) with T2DM were included. The majority (78 %) underwent RYGB, while the rest (28 %) had SG. All four scores predicted T2DM remission in our cohort with an ROC AUC of 0.79 for IMS, 0.78 for both DiaRem and advanced-DiaRem, and 0.75 for Robert et al. score. Specific subgroups for each of these scores demonstrated higher T2DM remission rates after RYGB compared to SG. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate the ability of the IMS, DiaRem, advanced-DiaRem and Robert et al. scores to predict T2DM remission in patients undergoing MBS. T2DM remission rates was demonstrated to decrease with more severe IMS, DiaRem and advanced-DiaRem scores and lower Robert et al. scores.

Single Anastomosis Duodenoileostomy with Sleeve: A Comprehensive Review of Anatomy, Surgical Technique, and Outcomes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Single anastomosis duodenoileal bypass with sleeve (SADI-S) is a recently endorsed metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) procedure in the US. Despite its favorable characteristics, the utilization of SADI-S remains limited, accounting for a mere 0.25% of all MBS procedures performed. This review aims to offer an updated examination of the technique, while also presenting the safety and outcomes associated with SADI-S on both the short and long term. RECENT FINDINGS: The safety of SADI-S is well-established, with short-term complication rates as low as 2.6%. A common channel length of 300 cm has consistently shown a lower incidence of malabsorption complications compared to shorter lengths. Bile reflux after SADI-S is relatively rare with an incidence of only 1.23%. SADI-S demonstrated sustained total weight loss (%TWL) at 5 years (37%) and 10 years (34%) postoperatively. Resolution of weight-related medical conditions was also significant after SADI-S, with remission rates of diabetes mellitus as high as 86.6% with over 5 years of follow-up. SADI-S is a safe and effective MBS procedure that has shown impressive and sustainable results in terms of weight loss and improvement in obesity-related medical conditions. Careful limb length selection is essential in minimizing the risk of nutritional deficiencies. SADI-S holds great promise as a valuable option for individuals seeking effective weight loss and improvement in associated health conditions.

A Matched Comparative Analysis of Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus Remission Between Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Multiple scores validate long-term type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remission after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS). However, studies comparing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) have not adequately controlled for certain parameters, which may influence procedure selection. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective review of patients with T2DM who underwent RYGB or SG between 2008 and 2017. Data on demographics, clinical, laboratory, and metabolic values were collected annually for up to 14 years. Each eligible RYGB patient was individually matched to an eligible SG patient based on diabetes severity, weight loss, and follow-up duration. RESULTS: Among 1149 T2DM patients, 467 were eligible for matching. We found 97 matched pairs who underwent RYGB or SG. RYGB showed significantly higher T2DM remission rates (46.4%) compared to SG (33.0%) after matching. SG patients had higher insulin usage (35.1%) than RYGB patients (20.6%). RYGB patients also experienced greater decreases in HbA1c levels and diabetes medication usage than SG patients. CONCLUSIONS: RYGB demonstrates higher efficacy for T2DM remission compared to SG, regardless of baseline characteristics, T2DM severity, weight loss, and follow-up duration. Further studies are needed to understand the long-term metabolic effects of MBS and the underlying pathophysiology of T2DM remission after MBS.

Third time's a charm: band to sleeve to bypass.

BACKGROUND: Adjustable gastric bands (AGB) are frequently converted to sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) due to weight recurrence or band complications. Such conversions carry a higher-risk than primary procedures. Some patients undergo two conversions-from AGB to SG, and subsequently from SG to RYGB. This presents a unique situation with limited literature on indications and complication rates associated with these double conversions. METHODS: We examined the 2020-2021 Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Participant Use File to evaluate conversions from AGB to SG and then to RYGB. Patient and operative characteristics, along with outcomes, were evaluated. Descriptive statistics were applied. RESULTS: We identified 276 patients who underwent a conversion from AGB to SG and then to RYGB. The primary reason for the second conversion (SG to RYGB) was gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) at 55.1%, followed by inadequate weight loss or weight regain (IWL/WR) at 36.9%. The remaining reasons included dysphagia, nausea, vomiting, or others. Patients converted for IWL/WR demonstrated a higher baseline body mass index and prevalence of sleep apnea compared to other cohorts (both p < 0.001). Meanwhile, patients in the "other reasons" group had the highest rate of open surgical approaches (9.1%) and concurrent lysis of adhesions (p = 0.001 and p = 0.022), with correspondingly higher rates of anastomotic leak, reoperations, serious complications, and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing double conversions (AGB to SG to RYGB) do so primarily for GERD or IWL/WR. Further research is required to better define the optimal primary operation for each patient, aiming to reduce the necessity for multiple conversions.

Comparative multicenter analysis of sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and duodenal switch in patients with BMI ≥70kg/m2: a 2-year follow-up.

Patients undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 70 kg/m2 are considered a high-risk group. There is limited literature to guide surgeons on the perioperative safety as well as the different procedural outcomes of MBS in this cohort. Our aim is to compare the safety profiles, early- and medium-term outcomes of sleeve gastrectomy (SG), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), and duodenal switch (DS) in patients with BMI ≥ 70 kg/m2. A total of 156 patients with BMI ≥ 70kg/m2 underwent MBS (SG = 40, RYGB = 40, and DS = 76). Mean baseline BMI was 75.5 kg/m2. Total weight loss (%TWL) at 24 months was highest in the DS group compared to RYGB (40.6% versus 33.8%, P value = .03) and SG (40.6% versus 28.5%, P value = .006). There was no significant difference in %TWL between RYGB and SG (33.8% versus 28.5%, P value = .20). The 30-day complication rates were similar [SG (7.5%), RYGB (10%), and DS (9.2%) (P value = 1.0)]. There was one reported leak (DS). The 30-day mortality was zero. MBS is safe and effective in patients with BMI ≥ 70 kg/m2. All procedures had comparable safety profiles and complication rates. While DS achieved the highest %TWL at 24 months, similar comorbidity resolution rates among the procedures attenuate its clinical significance.

Type 2 diabetes remission after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a multicentered experience with long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is associated with short- and mid-term type 2 diabetes (T2D) remission. Long-term outcomes and predictive parameters associated with remission following RYGB have not been well elucidated. OBJECTIVE: Determining the overall long-term T2D remission rates following RYGB and identifying predictive variables associated with remission. SETTING: Multicentered study including patients who underwent RYGB at 3 tertiary referral centers for bariatric surgery. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study between 2008-2017 to allow a minimum of 5 years of follow-up. We evaluated long-term T2D remission rates and annual T2D clinical and metabolic parameters up to 14 years after surgery. Predictors of remission were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on quartiles of total body weight loss percentage (%TBWL) to compare remission rates between groups. RESULTS: A total of 815 patients were included (68.9% female, age 52.1 ± 11.5 yr; body mass index 45.1 ± 7.7 kg/m2) with a follow-up of 7.3 ± 3.8 years. Remission was demonstrated in 51% of patients. Predictors of remission included pre-operative duration of diabetes, baseline HbA1C, insulin use prior to surgery, number of antidiabetic medications and %TBWL (all P < .01). Remission rates were proportionally associated with %TBWL quartile (Q1, 40.9%; Q2, 52.7%; Q3, 53.1%; Q4, 56.1%) (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Longer duration and higher severity of T2D were negatively associated with remission while higher %TBWL had a positive association. A significant proportion of patients in all quartiles experienced long-term remission after RYGB with a greater likelihood of remission correlated with greater weight loss.

Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Bariatric Surgery in Septuagenarians.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) has been shown to be safe and effective in the elderly population. Unfortunately, utilization of MBS in patients aged 70 years or older remains low, as MBS was just recently endorsed by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity (IFSO) for septuagenarians. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of 103 patients aged ≥ 70 years who underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) from January 2008 until March 2023. The data analyzed included patient demographics, post-operative complications, resolution of obesity-related comorbidities, and weight loss. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients (71% female; age 72.1 ± 2.5 years; BMI 43.7 ± 6.8 kg/m2) were included. Sixty-two patients (60.2%) underwent RYGB while the remaining 41 underwent SG (39.8%), with a mean follow-up of 4.7 ± 3.7 years. There was no MBS-related mortality. All-cause mortality rates were 7.3% for the SG group after a mean period of 4.5 ± 3.9 years compared to 8.1% for the RYGB cohort after 7.7 ± 3.5 years (p = 0.601). RYGB was reported to have a higher rate of early and late complications when compared to LSG (p = 0.083 and p = 0.274). T2DM (p = 0.011) and OSA (p = 0.019) resolved significantly after RYGB. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that bariatric surgery is safe and effective in patients aged 70 years and older. Bariatric surgery should not be denied to this group of patients based on chronological age alone. Further studies are required to support these findings.

Early Bowel Obstruction after Bariatric Surgery: An Analysis of the 2020-2021 MBSAQIP Database.

BACKGROUND: The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program evaluates 30-day outcomes of bariatric cases performed in the United States. The Participant Use File in 2020 introduced bowel obstruction (BO). We compared the rates of BO, risk factors, and postoperative outcomes after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), sleeve gastrectomy (SG), and duodenal switch (DS). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients who underwent laparoscopic RYGB, SG, or DS obtained from the 2020-2021 Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program. Patients who underwent either as a primary procedure with a body mass index >35 kg/m 2 were selected. Baseline characteristics, operative details, and postoperative complications were collected. The outcome of interest was BO occurring within 30 days. RESULTS: A total of 205,533 cases of which 148,944 were SG (72.4%), 54,606 were RYGB (26.5%), and 1983 were DS (1%). BO occurred in 0.74%, 0.4%, and 0.03% of patients who underwent an RYGB, DS, or SG, respectively. Patients with a BO in the RYGB group were more likely to be on immunosuppressive therapy (5.4% vs. 1.9%, P <0.001) with longer operative time (136.2 min±58.0 min vs. 117.4 min±53.6 min, P <0.001). SG patients with a BO were older (47.5±13.6 vs. 41.9±11.6, P =0.011) with longer operating times (98.6±63.8 vs. 68.9±33.4, P =0.002). Patients in the RYGB group with a BO had the highest rates of readmissions (71.9%) and reoperations (58.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Early bowel obstruction is rare after bariatric surgery. It is more common after RYGB and least common after SG. Readmission and reoperation rates were highest in patients with BO in the RYGB group.

Long-Term Outcomes of Sleeve Gastrectomy: Weight Recurrence and Surgical Non-responders.

INTRODUCTION: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is an effective procedure with remarkable weight loss and low complication rates. However, up to 30% of cases require revisional surgery in non-responders or patients who experience weight recurrence. We aim to report the rate of weight recurrence/non-responders (WR/NR) in patients who underwent SG and had more than 5 years of follow-up. METHODS: We performed a multicenter retrospective study of patients who underwent initial SG from 2008 to 2017. Patient demographics and weight loss outcomes up to 12 years after SG were collected. Surgical non-responders were defined as 20% weight regain compared to maximum weight loss. A chi-square test for categorical variables and a two-sample t-test for continuous variables were used. Data are summarized as mean ± standard deviation. RESULTS: From a total of 1263 patients, we included 339 patients (78% female, age 47.3 ± 11.2 years; baseline weight 125.8 ± 27.6 kg) with at least 5 years of follow-up (mean follow-up of 7.1 ± 1.8 years) (Table 1). Surgical non-response was demonstrated in 15.9% of patients (n=54) and 64.0% (n=217) had weight recurrence after SG (Fig. 1). There was a statistically significant difference in history of hypertension (p=0.046) and diabetes (p=0.032) as well as %TBWL at 1 year (p=0.005) and at longest follow-up (p<0.001) between patients who experienced WR/NR and those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Only 20% of patients who underwent SG and followed up for more than 5 years were able to maintain appropriate weight loss.

Feasibility and Outcomes of Simultaneous Gastric Bypass with Paraesophageal Hernia Repair in Elderly Patients.

BACKGROUND: Paraesophageal hernias (PEH) have a higher incidence in patients with obesity. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) with concomitant PEH repair is established as a valid surgical option for PEH management in patients with obesity. The safety and feasibility of this approach in the elderly population are not well elucidated. METHODS: We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients aged 65 years and older who underwent simultaneous PEH repair and RYGB from 2008 to 2022. Patient demographics, hernia characteristics, postoperative complications, and weight loss data were collected. Obesity-related medical conditions' resolution rates were evaluated at the last follow-up. A matched paired t-test and Pearson's test were used to assess continuous and categorical parameters, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients (82.5% female; age, 69.2 ± 3.6 years; BMI, 39.4 ± 4.7 kg/m2) with a mean follow-up of 32.3 months were included. The average hernia size was 5.8 cm. Most cases did not require mesh use during surgery (92.5%) with only 3 (7.5%) hernial recurrences. Postoperative complications (17.5%) and mortality rates (2.5%), as well as readmission (2.5%), reoperation (2.5%), and reintervention (0%) rates at 30-day follow-up were reported. There was a statistically significant resolution in gastroesophageal reflux disease (p < 0.001), hypertension (p = 0.019), and sleep apnea (p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The safety and effectiveness of simultaneous PEH repair and RYGB are adequate for the elderly population. Patient selection is crucial to reduce postoperative complications. Further studies with larger cohorts are needed to fully assess the impact of this surgery on elderly patients with obesity.

The role of diabetes severity scores in predicting disease remission in patients with BMI > 50 kg/m2 undergoing Roux-En-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy: a multi-centered study.

BACKGROUND: Roux-En-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG) have shown to be two of the most effective interventions to enhance weight loss and associated type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remission. However, a significant number of patients, particularly with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2, do not achieve T2DM remission after bariatric surgeries. The individualized metabolic surgery (IMS) and Robert et al. scores are two scores that characterize T2DM severity and predict disease remission after bariatric surgeries. We aim to assess the validity of these scores in predicting T2DM remission in our cohort of patients with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2 with long-term follow-up. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of all patients with T2DM, have a BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2, and underwent RYGB or SG in two different US bariatric surgery centers of excellence. The study endpoints included validating the IMS and Robert et al. scores in our cohort and evaluating the presence of any significant differences between RYGB and SG in terms of T2DM remission predicted by each of these scores. Data are presented as mean (standard deviation). RESULTS: A total of 160 patients (66.3% females, mean age 51.0 [11.8] years) had IMS score and 238 patients (66.4% females, age 50.8 [11.4] years) had Robert et al. score data. Both scores predicted T2DM remission in our patients with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2 with ROC AUC 0.79 for the IMS score and 0.83 for Robert et al. score. Patients with lower IMS scores and higher Robert et al. scores had higher T2DM remission rates. RYGB and SG had similar T2DM remission rates over the long-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate the ability of the IMS and Robert et al. scores to predict T2DM remission in patients with BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2. T2DM remission was shown to decrease with more severe IMS scores and lower Robert et al. scores.

Bariatric surgery and left ventricular assist device in patients with heart failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The role of metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), in synergy with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, in the scope of end-stage heart failure management for patients with severe obesity is not well elucidated. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis using Cochrane, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus databases to include articles from their inception to November 2022. RESULTS: A total of 271 patients who underwent MBS during or after the LVAD implantation were included from eleven separate studies. After surgery, 67.4% of patients were listed on the heart transplant waitlist with 32.5% undergoing a successful transplant. We reported a mean listing time of 13.8 months. Finally, the pooled postoperative complication rate, 30-day readmission rate, and one-year mortality rate were 47.6%, 23.6% and 10.2% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MBS and LVAD is a safe and effective approach to bridge patients with severe obesity and end-stage heart failure for definitive heart transplantation.