Is preoperative weight reduction of living-donor liver transplant recipients and donors harmful to postoperative outcomes?

PURPOSE: Although the incidence of recipients and donors with overweight and obesity is increasing worldwide, few reports have focused on outcomes of preoperative weight reduction (WR) in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Therefore, we examined the outcomes and the impact of WR on the postoperative course. METHODS: We analyzed 217 consecutive LDLT procedures performed from 2017 to 2022. We divided the recipients and donors into a WR group and non-WR group. RESULTS: Twenty-two recipients (10.1%) achieved WR (preoperative recipient WR [RWR] group), reducing their weight by 6.8% ± 6.0% within 2.2 ± 1.4 months with a significant decrease in body mass index (BMI) (P < .0001). The RWR group showed no significant differences in short-term postoperative outcomes (operative factors, postoperative liver function tests, amount of ascites, and morbidity) or in the graft survival rate as a long-term outcome (P = .24) compared with the non-RWR group. Forty-one donors (18.9%) achieved WR (preoperative donor WR [DWR] group), reducing their weight by 9.7% ± 6.3% within 3.2 ± 5.8 months with a significant decrease in BMI (P < .0001). Compared with the non-DWR group, the DWR group showed no significant differences in short-term postoperative outcomes between themselves and recipients or in the graft survival rate (P = .49). Furthermore, WR resulted in an increase to 32 donor-eligible and 6 recipient-eligible patients. CONCLUSION: WR in LDLT recipients and donors had no harmful effect on postoperative outcomes and should lead to increase recipients' chance of undergoing LDLT and to expand the donor pool.

Antiobesity drugs before and after bariatric surgery - how to make the best use of them.

Obesity as a chronic, serious, and progressive lifelong disease requires an active approach to treatment. Treatment means necessary adjustment of lifestyle with suitable regular physical activity, including pharmacological or bariatric support. Current pharmacological treatment can be an effective helper in the preparation for the surgical treatment of obesity (bariatric and metabolic operations), and in greater adherence of the patient to the necessary regime changes in life and in preoperative weight reduction. With the lapse of time after surgical treatment, in many cases we indicate the start of pharmacological treatment if the weight increases again. We do not yet know the appropriate types of patients and the exact indications for specific therapeutic modalities - a suitable antiobesity drug or type of bariatric surgery. The best long-term results come from a combination of at least two of these options, along with a lifestyle change. Among modern antiobesity drugs, there are naltrexone-bupropion and liraglutide. Orlistat can be mentioned from older ones.

Usefulness of laparoscopic right colectomy with intracorporeal anastomosis and preoperative weight reduction for ascending colon cancer in a severely obese patient.

Obesity has been considered a risk factor for postoperative complications following colorectal cancer surgery. However, the usefulness of a combination of intracorporeal anastomosis and preoperative weight reduction for severely obese patients with colon cancer remains unclear. A 66-year-old man with a body mass index (BMI) of 43 kg/m2 presented with abdominal pain and iron deficiency anemia. Colonoscopy and computed tomography revealed advanced ascending colon cancer with regional lymph node metastasis and excessive abdominal fat. Preoperative diet-induced weight reduction was performed for severe obesity, which decreased his BMI to 39.7 kg/m2 after 1 month. Thereafter, curative resection was performed using intracorporeal anastomosis for reconstruction to achieve minimal colon and mesentery mobilization and a shorter incision. The patient was discharged from the hospital without complications. Laparoscopic right hemicolectomy combining intracorporeal anastomosis and preoperative weight reduction was extremely useful in the current patient with severe obesity and ascending colon cancer.

How to cope with insufficient pneumoperitoneum and exposure when performing laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Despite following international guidelines and conducting routine preoperative dietary counseling, every bariatric surgeon will encounter technical challenges in laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. We present a series of patients in whom the bariatric procedure was stopped after encountering insufficient exposure during diagnostic laparoscopy. These patients were sent back for dietary counseling and underwent surgery after conservative weight loss. The data from this two-step procedure are analyzed and discussed. METHODS: This concept was applied and studied in 14 patients from a series of 620 bariatric procedures. Patients who underwent a primary laparoscopic gastric bypass (n = 593) were used as references. RESULTS: The patients in the study group were significantly heavier than those in the reference group (165 vs. 127 kg, p < 0.001), with 79 % having a BMI >50 kg/m(2). The patients lost a median of 11 kg after 2 months of conservative treatment, and the mean BMI decreased from 55.7 to 52.6 kg/m(2). All the patients in the study group underwent laparoscopic surgery for the second procedure with no need for conversion. The complication rate was not elevated in the study group. Overall hospital costs were higher for the study group compared with those for the primary laparoscopic bypass group (27,136 vs. 19,601 USD, p = 0.034). CONCLUSION: The primary laparoscopic procedure can be stopped in patients with insufficient exposure instead of having them undergo conversion to open surgery. These patients may undergo successful laparoscopic procedures after conservative weight loss with no increased risk and with all of the possible benefits of a laparoscopic approach. As a result of this study, we have established a fixed, preoperative lower limit of 10 % excess weight reduction before accepting superobese patients (BMI >50 kg/m(2)) for surgery at our hospital.