Clinical results of various reconstructions employed after total gastrectomy.

Methods of restoring continuity after total gastrectomy, particularly those creating a "reservoir," have led to many publications over the last 20 years. These publications are herein reviewed in an attempt to answer questions regarding the clinical value of a jejunal "reservoir". The conclusion we reached from this review was that such a reconstruction does reduce unpleasant symptoms, aids weight maintenance, and is a valuable operative approach.

Incidence of vitamin deficiency after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in a university hospital setting.

Vitamin deficiency after gastric bypass surgery is a known complication. The purpose of this study was to measure the incidence of vitamin deficiency after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in a university hospital setting. All patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass from January 2002 to December 2004 and completed a 1- and 2-year follow-up after surgery were selected. Of the total 493 patients, 318 (65%) had vitamin results at 1-year follow-up. Of the 366 eligible for the 2-year follow-up, 141 (39%) had vitamin results. Patients were further grouped based on gender, race, and Roux limb length, and incidence of vitamin deficiencies were studied. The incidence of vitamin A (retinol) deficiency was 11 per cent, vitamin C was 34.6 per cent, vitamin D25OH was 7 per cent, vitamin B1 was 18.3 per cent, vitamin B2 was 13.6 per cent, vitamin B6 was 17.6 per cent, and vitamin B12 was 3.6 per cent 12 months after surgery. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of vitamin deficiencies between 1 and 2 years. In univariate and multivariate logistic regression of 1- and 2-year follow up, black patients (vitamins A, D, and B1 for 1 year and B1 and B6 for 2 years) and women (vitamin C at 1 year) were more likely to have vitamin deficiencies. Vitamin deficiencies after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass are more common and involve more vitamins, even those that are water soluble, than previously appreciated. Black patients tend to have more deficiencies than other groups. The bariatric surgeon should be committed to the long-term follow-up and care of these patients. Further prospective and randomized studies are necessary to provide appropriate guidelines for supplementation.

Jejunostomy: techniques, indications, and complications.

Jejunostomy is a surgical procedure by which a tube is situated in the lumen of the proximal jejunum, primarily to administer nutrition. There are many techniques used for jejunostomy: longitudinal Witzel, transverse Witzel, open gastrojejunostomy, needle catheter technique, percutaneous endoscopy, and laparoscopy. The principal indication for a jejunostomy is as an additional procedure during major surgery of the upper digestive tract, where irrespective of the pathology or surgical procedures of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, liver, and biliary tracts, nutrition can be infused at the level of the jejunum. It is also used in laparotomy patients in whom a complicated postoperatory recovery is expected, those with a prolonged fasting period, those in a hypercatabolic state, or those who will subsequently need chemotherapy or radiotherapy. As a sole procedure it is advised for neurologic and congenital illnesses, in geriatric patients who pose difficult care demands, and for patients with tumors of the head and neck. The complications seen with jejunostomy can be mechanical, infectious, gastrointestinal, or metabolic. The rate of technical complications of the Witzel longitudinal technique is 2.1%, for the transverse Witzel up to 6.6%, for the Roux-en-Y 21%, for open gastrojejunostomy from 2%, and for the needle catheter technique from 1.5% with 0.14% mortality. The percutaneous endoscopic procedures have as much as a 12% complication rate; no figures exist for laparoscopy. The complications are moderate and severe: tube dislocation, obstruction or migration of the tube, cutaneous or intraabdominal abscesses, enterocutaneous fistulas, pneumatosis, occlusion, and intestinal ischemia. The infectious complications are aspiration pneumonia and contamination of the diet. The gastrointestinal complications are diarrhea 2.3% to 6.8%, abdominal distension, colic, constipation, nausea, and vomiting. The metabolic complications are hyperglycemia 29%, hypokalemia 50%, water and electrolyte imbalance, hypophosphatemia, and hypomagnesemia. These complications are secondary to inadequate selection of nutrition relative to the characteristics of the patient, to inadequate management of the mixture, and to deficient clinical care. The ideal jejunostomy technique depends on the material resources but more importantly on the experience of the surgeon. The benefits of jejunostomy justify the risks.