Short- to Midterm Results After Posterior Component Separation with Transversus Abdominis Release: Initial Experience from India.

PURPOSE: Posterior component separation with transversus abdominis release is a new procedure and is quickly gaining popularity. It has shown promising results in terms of low recurrence rates for large and complex hernias. However, there are very little Indian data available on this to date. The purpose of this study was to assess the outcomes of the technique at three centers in India. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of the prospectively collected data. Patients with a minimum follow-up of 3 months who underwent open or minimal access posterior component separation were included. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients (open = 44, minimal access = 25, and hybrid = 3) were included in the analysis. At a follow-up ranging from 3 months to 35 months, there were two recurrences (2.78%). Surgical site occurrences were seen in 23/72 (31.9%), and surgical site infection was seen in 7/72 (9.7%). Surgical site occurrence requiring procedural intervention was 3/72 (4.2%). There were two (2.78%) mortalities in the open group due to myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION: Posterior component separation with transversus abdominis release may have advantages in terms of low recurrence in large hernias in the Indian population and can be used in carefully selected patients.

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: Outcomes of a case-matched comparison of primary versus revisional surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy are popular bariatric procedures. Certain complications may necessitate revision. Adverse outcomes are reported after revisional bariatric surgery. We compared patients undergoing revisional versus primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was retrospective comparative 1:1 case-matched analysis of revisional LRYGB Group A versus primary LRYGB (pLRYGB/Group B). Matching was based on body mass index (BMI) and comorbidities. BMI decrease at 6 and 12 months post-surgery, comorbidity resolution, operative time, morbidity and length of hospital stay (LOS) were compared. Total decrease in BMI, i.e., change from before initial bariatric procedure to 12 months after revision for Group A was also compared. RESULTS: Median BMI (inter-quartile range) for Group A decreased to 44.74 (7.09) and 41.49 (6.26) at 6 and 12 months, respectively, for Group B corresponding figures were 38.74 (6.9) and 33.79 (6.64) (P = 0.001 and P = 0.0001, respectively). Total decrease in BMI (Group A) was 9.8, whereas BMI decrease at 12 months for Group B was 15.2 (P = 0.23). Hypertension resolved in 63% (Group A), 70% (Group B) (P = 0.6). Diabetes resolution was 80% (Group A), 63% (Group B) (P = 0.8). Operative time for Groups A, B was 151 ± 17, 137 ± 11 min, respectively (P = 0.004). There was no difference in morbidity and LOS. CONCLUSION: Comorbidity resolution after revisional and pLRYGB are similar. Less weight loss is achieved after revision than after pLRYGB, but total weight loss is comparable. Revisional surgery is safe when performed by experienced surgeons in high-volume centres.

High-Percentage Pathological Findings in Obese Patients Suggest that Esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy Should Be Made Mandatory Prior to Bariatric Surgery.

ᅟ: Obesity is a global epidemic and will soon become the number one priority in healthcare management. Bariatric surgery causes a significant improvement in obesity and its related complications. Pre-operative esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (EGD) is done by several bariatric surgical teams across the world but is still not mandatory. AIM: To study the percentage of symptomatic and asymptomatic pathological EGD findings in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery and to analyze whether these findings influence the eventual choice of bariatric surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients posted for bariatric surgery at our institute from January 2015 to March 2017 had a pre-operative EGD done by the same team of endoscopists. RESULTS: In this study, totally, 675 patients were assessed prior to routine bariatric surgery. 78.52% of all pre-operative patients had an abnormal EGD. The most common endoscopic abnormalities found were hiatus hernia (52.44%), gastritis (46.22%), presence of Helicobacter (H.) pylori (46.67%), reflux esophagitis (16.89%), Barrett's esophagus (1.78%), gastric erosions (13.19%), and polyps (7.41%). Fifty patients had upper gastrointestinal polyps: 41 in the stomach, 3 in the esophagus, and 6 in the duodenum, mostly benign hyperplastic or inflammatory polyps. Two patients had gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), 6 leiomyoma, and 6 neuroendocrine tumors (NET). Of those with endoscopic evidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), 70 (60.03%) of patients were asymptomatic. The pre-operative EGD findings resulted in a change of the planned surgical procedure in 67 (9.93%) patients. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that a large percentage of patients undergoing bariatric surgery have pathologically significant endoscopic findings of which a significant number are asymptomatic; this can lead to a change in the planned bariatric procedure in a section of patients; hence, we believe that EGD should be made mandatory as a pre-operative investigation in all bariatric surgery patients.

Mesenteric Defect Closure Decreases the Incidence of Internal Hernias Following Laparoscopic Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) is one of the most effective bariatric procedures. Internal hernia (IH) is the commonest long-term complication seen after LRYGB. We analyzed the impact of closure of mesenteric defect at primary surgery on the incidence of IH. We also studied the effectiveness of pre-operative abdominal contrast-enhanced computerized tomography (CECT) in diagnosing IH. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study in which we analyzed prospectively the collected data of all patients who underwent LRYGB from 2005 to 2014. All patients post-LRYGB presenting with unexplained abdominal pain with a suspicion of IH were subjected to a CECT abdomen, in which we looked specifically for "whirlpool" sign and "clustering of bowel loops." All patients underwent diagnostic laparoscopy. We compared the incidence of IH in those who did not undergo mesenteric defect closure (2005-2008, i.e., group A) with those who had the mesenteric defects closed during primary surgery (2009-2014, i.e., group B). We also calculated the sensitivity of abdominal CECT in diagnosing IH pre-operatively. RESULTS: Among patients who did not undergo closure of any mesenteric defect (group A 2005-2009), 21/600 (3.5 %) developed IH, while 17/976 (1.7 %) patients who underwent mesenteric defect closure (group B 2009-2014) developed IH (p = 0.027). Pre-operative CECT abdomen confirmed the diagnosis of IH in 47.5 % (19/40 patients). CONCLUSIONS: Closing of mesenteric defects after laparoscopic gastric bypass seems to be related to a lower incidence of internal hernia in the follow up. As the sensitivity of abdominal CECT is low, laparoscopic exploration is recommended based on clinical suspicion.