Endoscopic therapies for bariatric surgery complications.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this review is to present the current state of the field, highlight recent developments, and describe the clinical outcomes of endoscopic therapies for bariatric surgery complications. RECENT FINDINGS: The field of interventional endoscopy now presents a range of minimally invasive procedures for addressing postbariatric complications. Lumen-opposing metal stents have emerged as a reliable solution for managing gastrojejunal strictures following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, whether with or without associated leaks. Additionally, they serve as a conduit for performing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) post-RYGB via EUS-directed ERCP (EDGE). Gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy, originally designed for gastroparesis, has demonstrated effectiveness in treating postgastric sleeve stenosis, particularly the challenging helical stenosis cases. Furthermore, innovative endoscopic antireflux techniques are showing encouraging outcomes in addressing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) following sleeve gastrectomy. Additionally, several modifications have been proposed to enhance the efficacy of transoral outlet reduction (TORe), originally developed to treat weight regain due to gastrojejunal anastomotic issues post-RYGB. SUMMARY: Endoscopic management of bariatric surgery complications is continuously evolving. The development of new techniques and devices allows endoscopists to provide novel, minimally invasive alternatives that were not possible in the near past. Many techniques, however, are limited to expert centers because they are technically demanding, and specialized training in bariatric endoscopy is still required.

Clostridioides Difficile: A Concise Review of Best Practices and Updates.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the most common and severe nosocomial infections worldwide. It can also affect healthy individuals in the community. The incidence of CDI has been on the rise globally for the past decade, necessitating a proactive approach to combat its spread; new strategies are being developed to enhance diagnostic accuracy and optimize treatment outcomes. Implementing the 2-step testing has increased diagnostic specificity, reducing the usage of CD-specific antibiotics with no concomitant increase in surgical complication rates. In 2021, the Infectious Diseases Society of America/Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (IDSA/SHEA) shifted its preference for initial treatment to fidaxomicin over vancomycin and metronidazole due to its lower recurrence rate. It also prioritized fidaxomicin for the treatment of recurrent CDI. There are new developments on the frontiers of fecal microbiota therapies, with RBX2660 and SER-109 approved recently by the FDA for prevention, with other microbiome-based therapies in various development and clinical trials. This review offers providers an updated and practical guide for CDI management.

Bariatric surgery in inflammatory bowel disease: a comparative analysis of 450,000 patients.

BACKGROUND: Studies were conducted to investigate the outcomes of bariatric surgery (BS) among inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to analyze previous literature, comparing the outcomes of BS between IBD and non-IBD patients. SETTING: Not applicable. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched on 25/9/2023 for comparative studies on outcomes of BS in IBD patients. RevMan Software v5.4 was used to conduct the analysis. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed an insignificant difference in the change of body mass index (BMI) at 1-year post-BS between IBD and non-IBD patients. IBD patients had a higher risk of acute renal failure, hemorrhage, and readmission following BS (RR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.55-3, RR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.22-2.04, RR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.17-2.08, respectively). No significant difference was observed between both groups regarding wounds, leak/intra-abdominal infection, thromboembolic complications, and bowel obstruction. A higher incidence of postoperative complications was seen among IBD patients undergoing RYGB compared with SG (RR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.43-3.41). There was a significant decline in steroid use following BS in IBD patients (RR: .67, 95% CI: .53-.84). Comparison between UC and Crohn's disease (CD) revealed insignificant differences in treatment escalation or de-escalation. Both IBD and non-IBD patients had similar lengths of hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: BS is equally effective in IBD and non-IBD patients in terms of weight loss at 1-year follow-up. Nevertheless, IBD patients are at a higher risk of postoperative complications, micronutrient deficiency, and readmission. Both UC and CD reported a decline in steroid use following surgery without a preferential advantage to a particular IBD sub-type.