Implementation of mini gastric bypass in the Netherlands: early and midterm results from a high-volume unit.

BACKGROUND: Mini gastric bypass (MGB) is a promising and attractive alternative bariatric procedure. In 2011, we introduced MGB in our high-volume bariatric unit. Subsequently, we evaluated short- and midterm results of this procedure. METHODS: A prospective cohort of patients who underwent MGB between 2012 and 2013 was retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: From 2012 to 2013, primary MGB was performed in 287 patients with a mean BMI of 42 kg/m2 (range 32-76 kg/m2). The mean operation time was 50 min (range 25-120 min). The mortality rate was 0%. Serious complications, such as leakage, pulmonary embolism, or bleeding, occurred in 3.1% of patients; anastomotic leaks occurred in 1.4% of patients. Conversion to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for biliary reflux or other indications occurred in six patients (2%). During our initial learning phase, biliary reflux rates were higher due to an overly short pouch. Surgical revision for malnutrition was performed in one patient. Percent excess weight loss and percent total body weight loss were 85 and 35%, respectively, after 1 year; 88 and 36.6%, respectively, after 2 years; and 83 and 34.3%, respectively, after 3 years. Follow-up rates after 1, 2, and 3 years were 96% (277/287), 72% (208/287), and 66% (190/287), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: As a primary bariatric procedure, MGB is associated with good early and midterm results. MGB has the potential to become a significant alternative bariatric procedure. Correct technique is of extreme importance when performing MGB; therefore, the appointment of an experienced MGB surgeon as a guide when beginning to utilize this technique is advised.

Conversion of failed laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is safe as a single-step procedure.

BACKGROUND: Several different procedures have been proposed as a revisional procedure for treatment of failed laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) has been advocated as the procedure of choice for revision. In this study, we compare the single- and two-step approaches for the revision of failed LAGB to LRYGB. METHOD: All patients who underwent bariatric surgery were included in a prospective database. For the purpose of this study, patients who underwent revisional surgery from LAGB to LRYGB were selected. Records for individual patients were completed by data review. Complication rates and weight development were recorded until 2 years postoperatively. Data were compared between both procedures and with complications rates reported in literature. RESULTS: Revisional gastric bypass surgery was performed in 257 patients. This was done as a planned single-step procedure in 220 (86 %) patients without indications for acute band removal and in 32 patients as a planned 2 step procedure. Five patients were planned as a single-step procedure but were intraoperatively converted to a 2-step procedure based on poor pouch tissue quality. No postoperative mortality occurred in both groups. No differences in early major morbidity and stricture formation were seen between the two groups. Gastric ulceration was more frequently observed after 2-steps procedure (8.5 vs. 1.7 %, p < 0.05). In comparison with data reported in literature, the single-step procedure had similar to lower complication rates. Percentage excess weight loss two years after revisional gastric bypass procedure was, respectively, 53 versus 67 % (p = 0.147) for single- and two-step procedure. CONCLUSION: In patients without indications for acute band removal, the planned conversion of gastric banding to Roux-Y gastric bypass can be safely done in a single-step procedure without increase in morbidity and no difference in postoperative weight loss.

Registering the critical view of safety: photo or video?

BACKGROUND: One of the most important ways to reduce biliary duct injury in laparoscopic cholecystectomy is to achieve the critical view of safety (CVS) before transection of the cystic artery and duct. Documenting CVS is possible with photo prints, video imaging, or both. These documentations can be used as a proof of the right procedure in case of biliary duct injury, but only if the documentation is good enough to be judged independently by others. METHODS: In 102 consecutive laparoscopic cholecystectomies, CVS was recorded by photo prints and video images. Imaging was done just before transection of the cystic artery and duct. The photo prints and video images were analyzed independently by two surgeons. These surgeons had to judge whether the documentation method was of sufficient quality to determine whether CVS was achieved. RESULTS: Photo prints were made for 81% and video images for 59% of the 102 patients treated with a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The mean age of the patients was 54 years (range, 22-83 years), and 71% were women. The diagnosis for 62 of the patients was symptomatic cholecystolithiasis, and 18 patients had acute cholecystitis. The remaining patients had earlier experienced acute cholecystitis, biliary pancreatitis, or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Respectively, 30% and 21% of the CVS photo prints were judged to be of insufficient quality to determine whether CVS had been established, mostly because of difficulties adequately showing the lateral side (κ = 0.67). In all but two video images, achievement of CVS was documented sufficiently to be judged 97% (κ = 1.00). CONCLUSION: Photo prints are inferior to video images for judging achievement of CVS. Therefore, a practical and logistical solution must be devised in hospitals for storage and insight in all video documentation, for example, by implementation of a link with the electronic patient database.

Dumping syndrome after esophageal, gastric or bariatric surgery: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management.

BACKGROUND: Dumping syndrome, a common complication of esophageal, gastric or bariatric surgery, includes early and late dumping symptoms. Early dumping occurs within 1 h after eating, when rapid emptying of food into the small intestine triggers rapid fluid shifts into the intestinal lumen and release of gastrointestinal hormones, resulting in gastrointestinal and vasomotor symptoms. Late dumping occurs 1-3 h after carbohydrate ingestion, caused by an incretin-driven hyperinsulinemic response resulting in hypoglycemia. Clinical recommendations are needed for the diagnosis and management of dumping syndrome. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed through February 2016. Evidence-based medicine was used to develop diagnostic and management strategies for dumping syndrome. RESULTS: Dumping syndrome should be suspected based on concurrent presentation of multiple suggestive symptoms after upper abdominal surgery. Suspected dumping syndrome can be confirmed using symptom-based questionnaires, glycemia measurements and oral glucose tolerance tests. First-line management of dumping syndrome involves dietary modification, as well as acarbose treatment for persistent hypoglycemia. If these approaches are unsuccessful, somatostatin analogues should be considered in patients with dumping syndrome and impaired quality of life. Surgical re-intervention or continuous enteral feeding may be necessary for treatment-refractory dumping syndrome, but outcomes are variable. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of these diagnostic and treatment recommendations may improve dumping syndrome management.

Harm and benefits of short-term pre-operative radiotherapy in patients with resectable rectal carcinomas.

AIM: To weigh the harms and benefits of short-term pre-operative radiotherapy in the treatment of resectable rectal cancer. METHODS: The benefits (reduction of local recurrence) and harm (increase of short-term complications) of short-term pre-operative radiotherapy are balanced using a model which classifies patients in one of five outcome combinations; 1-benefit without additional harm, 2-benefit with additional harm, 3-no benefit, no additional harm, 4-no benefit but additional harm, 5-mortality due to combined treatment. The results of four randomised clinical trials (RCT) which study the addition of short-term pre-operative radiotherapy in rectal cancer were classified according to this model. RESULTS: Five to thirteen percent of the patients have benefit without additional harm of pre-operative radiotherapy, while 0-2% have benefit with additional harm; 74-87% has neither benefit nor additional harm and 6-11% have no benefit but additional harm. A small percentage of patients (1-6%) dies post-operatively as a result of the addition of radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: This model provides a transparent appreciation of the harmful and beneficial effects of any treatment modality investigated by means of a randomised clinical trial. As for short-term pre-operative radiotherapy in resectable rectal cancer is shown, a small percentage of patients benefits from such treatment. Most patients have neither benefit nor additional harm, while a small percentage suffers from additional harm while not receiving any benefit.

Diagnostic tools for post-gastric bypass hypoglycaemia.

In spite of its evident success, several late complications can occur after gastric bypass surgery. One of these is post-gastric bypass hypoglycaemia. No evidence-based guidelines exist in the literature on how to confirm the presence of this syndrome. This study aims to describe and compare the tests aimed at making a diagnosis of post-gastric bypass hypoglycaemia and to provide a diagnostic approach based upon the available evidence. A search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane and Embase. A few questionnaires have been developed to measure the severity of symptoms in post-gastric bypass hypoglycaemia but none has been validated. The gold standard for provocation of a hypoglycaemic event is the oral glucose tolerance test or the liquid mixed meal tolerance test. Both show a high prevalence of hypoglycaemia in post-gastric bypass patients with and without hypoglycaemic complaints as well as in healthy volunteers. No uniformly established cut-off values for glucose concentrations are defined in the literature for the diagnosis of post-gastric bypass hypoglycaemia. For establishing an accurate diagnosis of post-gastric bypass hypoglycaemia, a validated questionnaire, in connection with the diagnostic performance of provocation tests, is the most important thing missing. Given these shortcomings, we provide recommendations based upon the current literature.

No additional value of routine check X-rays after internal fixation of hip fractures.

PURPOSE: Annually approximately 18,044 patients are admitted to Dutch hospitals with hip fractures. This is an increasing demand for medical care due to the increasing amount of elderly people. Although previous studies showed that routine check of X-rays following hip fracture surgery is unnecessary, it remains routine in most clinics in the Netherlands. In addition to the radiation exposure to the patient, it is painful and leads to unnecessary costs. This study aims to establish if routine check X-rays 1 day after internal fixation for hip fracture with adequate image intensifier guidance influence postoperative management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed for all patients undergoing internal fixation of hip fractures with image intensifier guidance in the period from January 2006 until December 2007 in our hospital. RESULTS: In that period 294 patients underwent internal fixation of hip fractures, 254 underwent a check X-ray and were included in this study. In only two patients the check X-ray did change patient management. CONCLUSION: A check X-ray following internal fixation of hip fractures after adequate peroperative image intensifier guidance is not useful. Dismissing this unuseful medical investigation, leads to less radiation exposure, less pain and less costs.

Categorization of major and minor complications in the treatment of patients with resectable rectal cancer using short-term pre-operative radiotherapy and total mesorectal excision: a Delphi round.

BACKGROUND: To properly balance the benefit (reduction of local recurrence) of short-term pre-operative radiotherapy for resectable rectal cancer against its harm (complications), a consensus concerning the severity of complications is required. The aim of this study was to reach consensus regarding major and minor complications after short-term radiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision in the treatment of rectal carcinoma, using the Delphi technique. METHODS: A Delphi round was performed in cooperation with 21 colo-rectal surgeons from the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Sweden. The key-question was: 'Which of the predefined complications, caused or substantially aggravated by radiotherapy, are so important (major) that they might lead to the decision to abandon short-term pre-operative radiotherapy (5 x 5Gy) when treating patients with resectable rectal cancer (T1-3N0-2M0)?' RESULTS: After three rounds, consensus was reached for 37 (68%) of 54 complications of which 13 were considered major and 24 considered minor. The following complications were considered to be major: mortality, anastomotic leakage managed by relaparotomy, anastomotic leakage resulting in persisting fistula, postoperative haemorrhage managed by relaparotomy, intra-abdominal abscess without healing tendency, sepsis, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, compartment syndrome of the lower legs, long-term incontinence for solid stool, long-term problems with voiding, pelvic fracture with persisting pain, and neuropathy with persisting pain (legs). Three of 17 complications without consensus showed a tendency to be considered as major: perineal wound dehiscence managed by surgical treatment, small bowel obstruction leading to relaparotomy and long-term incontinence for liquid stool. CONCLUSION: The 13 major and three 'accepted as major' complications can be used to properly balance the benefit and harm of short-term pre-operative radiotherapy in resectable rectal cancer. This may eventually lead to improved treatment strategies for these patients.