Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy achieve comparable weight loss at 1 year.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy has gained popularity as a weight loss surgical option for morbidly obese patients. Although initial studies have shown weight loss and comorbidity resolution comparable to those after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), many of these studies are limited by the small patient size. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic RYGB. A retrospective chart review of all morbidly obese patients who underwent laparoscopic RYGB or sleeve gastrectomy between 2007 and 2009 at an HMO hospital was conducted. Data points collected included age, gender, completion of a preoperative weight loss program, initial body mass index (BMI), pre- and postoperative weights, and presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Outcomes measures included excess weight loss, resolution of comorbidities, postoperative complications, and mortality. A total of 345 laparoscopic RYGBs and 192 sleeve gastrectomies were performed. On average, the patients who received RYGB were younger (46 vs 48 years, P = 0.05) and had higher BMI (47 vs 43 kg/m(2), P < 0.0001). There was a higher incidence of DM in the RYGB group (32 vs 22%, P = 0.01), whereas the incidences of HTN and GERD were similar in both surgical groups. Ninety-three per cent of the patients who underwent RYGB and 90 per cent of the patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy completed a preoperative weight loss program. The median length of hospital stay for both groups was 3 days. The complication rate in both groups was 9 per cent. The incidence of gastric leak was 1 per cent in both groups. There was only one mortality, which occurred in the RYGB group. The postoperative resolution of DM was comparable in both groups. The RYGB group had greater resolution of HTN (48 vs 34%, P = 0.03) and GERD (73 vs 34%, P < 0.0001). At 12 months, sleeve gastrectomy achieved superior excess weight loss compared with RYGB (72 vs 61%, P = 0.0015). After adjusting for age and BMI, the excess weight loss for RYGB and sleeve gastrectomy was similar at 12 months (t parameter estimate -0.06, P = 0.08). Laparoscopic RYGB and sleeve gastrectomy had comparable postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. At 1 year, sleeve gastrectomy achieved only slightly greater weight loss. The two operations are both legitimate standalone bariatric procedures and their applications need to be based on individual patient characteristics and needs.

Obesity does not impact outcomes for appendicitis.

Obesity has long been considered a risk factor for surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of obesity on outcomes after appendectomy. A retrospective study was performed using discharge abstract data obtained from patients with documented body mass index (BMI) undergoing appendectomy for appendicitis (n = 2919). Complications and length of stay for different BMI categories were compared. Obese patients (BMI > 30 kg/m(2)) had similar rates of perforation (20%) and were as likely to undergo a laparoscopic approach (85%) as nonobese patients. On multivariable and univariate analysis, no significant differences were observed when comparing obese and nonobese patients for the outcomes of length of stay, infectious complications, and need for readmission. On multivariate analysis, laparoscopy predicted lower complication rates and decreased length of stay. In this study, obesity did not significantly impact rates of perforation, operative approach, length of stay, infectious complications, or readmission.

Preoperative serum albumin but not prealbumin is an excellent predictor of postoperative complications and mortality in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Preoperative serum albumin level is well recognized as a general predictor of adverse surgical outcomes in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancy. Whether serum albumin or prealbumin levels can better predict postoperative surgical complications and death remains unknown. A retrospective review of 641 consecutive patients operated nonemergently for GI malignancies between January 1, 1997, and July 31, 2008, disclosed that 104 patients (16.2%) had complications and 23 (3.6%) subsequently died. All 641 patients had preoperative determination of serum albumin level (cost $0.13 per test), whereas 379 (59.1%) also had preoperative determination of serum prealbumin level (cost $2.27 per test). An albumin level below the discriminatory threshold of 3.2 g/dL was a significant predictor of overall postoperative morbidity, infectious and noninfectious complications, and mortality (all P < 0.001). In contrast, a prealbumin level below the discriminatory threshold of 18 mg/dL was a predictor of only overall morbidity (P = 0.014) and infectious complications (P = 0.024), but not of noninfectious complications or mortality (P = nonsignificant). We conclude that compared with the preoperative serum prealbumin level, the albumin level has superior predictive value for overall postoperative morbidity, both infectious and noninfectious complications, and mortality. The inclusion of serum prealbumin level in the routine preoperative testing of patients with GI malignancy for the purpose of predicting postoperative outcomes is neither clinically necessary nor cost-effective.

Renal insufficiency predicts mortality in geriatric patients undergoing emergent general surgery.

Clinical predictors of perioperative mortality in geriatric patients undergoing emergent general surgery have not been well described. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality in geriatric patients and factors associated with mortality. A retrospective review of patients 65 years of age or older undergoing emergent general surgery at a public teaching hospital was performed over a 7-year period. Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, laboratory studies, perioperative morbidities, and mortality. Descriptive statistics and predictors of morbidity and mortality are described. The mean age was 74 years. Indications for surgery included small bowel obstruction (24%), diverticulitis (20%), perforated viscous (16%), and large bowel obstruction (9%). The overall complication rate was 41 per cent with six cardiac complications (14%) and seven perioperative (16%) deaths. Mean admission serum creatinine was significantly higher in patients who died (3.6 vs 1.5 mg/dL, P = 0.004). Mortality for patients with an admission serum creatinine greater than 2.0 mg/dL was 42 per cent (5 of 12) compared with 3 per cent (2 of 32) for those 2.0 mg/dL or less (OR, 10.7; CI, 1.7 to 67; P = 0.01). Morbidity and mortality in geriatric patients undergoing emergency surgery remains high with the most significant predictor of mortality being the presence of renal insufficiency on admission.

The electronic residency application service application can predict accreditation council for graduate medical education competency-based surgical resident performance.

OBJECTIVE: Program directors often struggle to determine which factors in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) application are important in the residency selection process. With the establishment of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies, it would be important to know whether information available in the ERAS application can predict subsequent competency-based performance of general surgery residents. METHODS: This study is a retrospective correlation of data points found in the ERAS application with core competency-based clinical rotation evaluations. ACGME competency-based evaluations as well as technical skills assessment from all rotations during residency were collected. The overall competency score was defined as an average of all 6 competencies and technical skills. RESULTS: A total of77 residents from two (one university and one community based university-affiliate) general surgery residency programs were included in the analysis. Receiving honors for many of the third year clerkships and AOA membership were associated with a number of the individual competencies. USMLE scores were predictive only of Medical Knowledge (p = 0.004). Factors associated with higher overall competency were female gender (p = 0.02), AOA (p = 0.06), overall number of honors received (p = 0.04), and honors in Ob/Gyn (p = 0.03) and Pediatrics (p = 0.05). Multivariable analysis showed honors in Ob/Gyn, female gender, older age, and total number of honors to be predictive of a number of individual core competencies. USMLE scores were only predictive of Medical Knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: The ERAS application is useful for predicting subsequent competency based performance in surgical residents. Receiving honors in the surgery clerkship, which has traditionally carried weight when evaluating a potential surgery resident, may not be as strong a predictor of future success.