Two-Year Nutrition Data in Terms of Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and Albumin After Bariatric Surgery and Long-term Fracture Data Compared with Conservatively Treated Obese Patients: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Nutritional deficiencies may occur after bariatric surgery despite supplementation. Fracture risk may also be elevated after bariatric surgery. OBJECTIVES: To compare 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], vitamin B12, and albumin serum concentrations in severely obese patients who had undergone either Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Fracture data was compared with data for a conservatively treated group of severely obese patients. METHODS: We considered 253 RYGB and 142 SG performed between 2007 and 2010. At 1- and 2-year control follow-ups, weight was measured and blood samples were drawn. The control group of 199 obese patients received lifestyle intervention and weight was measured at 1 and 2 years post-intervention between 2002 and 2006. We retrospectively collected fracture data for all patients through the end of 2016. RESULTS: At follow-ups, the mean serum 25(OH)D and albumin levels were within reference ranges and were similar between the RYGB and SG groups. Serum median vitamin B12 level was significantly higher in the SG group compared with the RYBG group, 319 versus 286 pmol/L at 2 years, respectively, p = 0.04. The cumulative risk for fracture was higher in the bariatric groups compared with the control group. The Cox multivariate model showed higher age, bariatric surgery, and lower body mass index (BMI) at the 2-year control increased the risk for fracture after obesity treatment. CONCLUSION: Vitamin 25(OH)D, B12, and albumin levels were mainly within recommended levels during the 2 years after bariatric surgery. The cumulative fracture risk was higher in bariatric patients.

A Retrospective 2-Year Follow-up of Late Complications Treated Surgically and Endoscopically After Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (LRYGB) and Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG) for Morbid Obesity.

BACKGROUND: The laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) has been the gold standard for bariatric surgery, but recently, the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has gained popularity. At present, limited data is available on the long-term complications of these two types of surgery. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the 2-year data about late (more than 30 days after surgery) complications that were treated surgically or endoscopically after LRYGB and LSG operations in a large hospital area with a single patient database. MATERIALS: This was a retrospective, non-randomized, single-center study of 760 (545 LRYGB and 215 LSG) bariatric patients surgically treated between 2008 and 2013 in the Bariatric Surgery Unit of Helsinki University Central Hospital. METHODS: The patients were followed for 2 years, and late complications (more than 30 days after surgery) that were surgically and/or endoscopically treated were registered. Weight loss and the risk factors for complications were also monitored. RESULTS: The study found a difference between the LRYGB and LSG patients in a number of late complications treated by both intervention types: surgical intervention were required in 9.4% of LRYGB patients vs. 0.9 of LSG patients, and endoscopic intervention were required by 4.6% of LRYGB patients vs. 1.4% of LSG patients (both p < 0.05). The risk of surgical complications was increased by better weight loss results in 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: LRYGB was found to be associated with a greater risk of late complications. If larger databases confirm these results, the trend toward LSG is justified.

Do Changes in Perioperative and Postoperative Treatment Protocol Influence the Frequency of Pulmonary Complications? A Retrospective Analysis of Four Different Bariatric Groups.

The current understanding of prophylaxis of pulmonary complications in bariatric surgery is weak. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to observe how changes in perioperative and postoperative treatments affect the incidence of pulmonary complications in bariatric patients. MATERIALS: This is a retrospective clinical study of 400 consecutive bariatric patients. The patients, who either underwent a sleeve gastrectomy or a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, were divided consecutively into four subgroups with different approaches to perioperative treatment. METHODS: The first group (patients 0-100) was recovered in the intensive care unit with minimal mobilization (ICU). They had a urinary catheter and a drain. The second group (patients 101-200) was similar to the first group, but the patients used a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device intermittently (ICU-CPAP). The third group (patients 201-300) was recovered on a normal ward without a urinary catheter or a drain and used a CPAP device (ward-slow). The fourth group (patients 301-400) walked to the operating theater and was mobilized in the recovery room during the first 2 h after the operation (ward-fast). CPAP was also used. Primary endpoints were pulmonary complications, pneumonia, and infection, non-ultra descriptus (NUD). RESULTS: The number of pulmonary complications among the groups was significantly different. A long operation time increased the risk for infection (p < 0.001 95 % CI from 2.02 to 6.59 %). CONCLUSIONS: Operation time increases the risk for pulmonary complications. Changes in perioperative care toward the ERAS protocol may have a positive effect on the number of pulmonary complications.

Retrospective analysis of 3 different antithrombotic prophylaxis regimens in bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: The optimal amount of thromboembolic prophylaxis to use in bariatric surgery is still unresolved. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the optimal pharmacologic prophylaxis with minimal bleeding complications for bariatric patients. SETTING: A nonrandomized clinical study of 400 consecutive bariatric patients surgically treated between 2008 and 2013 at Peijas Hospital. METHODS: The patients, who either underwent mainly a sleeve gastrectomy or a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, were divided consecutively into 3 subgroups with different approaches to pharmacologic enoxaparin prophylaxis. For the first 100 operated patients (high-dose group), enoxaparin was given at a dose of 40 mg twice daily, starting 1 day before the operation. The next 100 patients (intermediate-dose group) received 40 mg of enoxaparin twice daily, without the dose on the morning of the operation. The last 200 patients (low-dose group) received enoxaparin 40 mg once daily, starting 1 day before the operation and without the dose on the morning of the operation. The primary endpoints in this study were a major bleeding complication and a venous thromboembolism. RESULTS: There were no thromboembolic complications in this study. The difference in bleeding complications between the high-dose group and low-dose group was -10.5% (95% CI from -18.1% to -3.0%), and the difference between high-dose group and intermediate-dose group was -9% (95% CI from -17.4% to -.6%). Age and preoperative weight had no effect on bleeding complications, but hypertension significantly increased the amount of bleeding complications (P = .01, 95% CI from 1.55% to 29.7%). CONCLUSION: Thromboembolic complications are avoidable. Enoxaparin (40 mg) given once daily was the safest with regard to bleeding complications. High blood pressure elevates the risk for bleeding.