Outcomes of primary versus conversional Roux-En-Y gastric bypass after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a retrospective propensity score-matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Conversional surgery is common after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) because of suboptimal weight loss (SWL) or poor responders and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is the most common conversional procedure after LSG. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study analyzed patients who underwent primary RYGB (PRYGB) or conversional RYGB (CRYGB) at three specialized bariatric centers between 2008 and 2019 and tested for weight loss, resolution of GERD, food tolerance (FT), early and late complications, and the resolution of associated medical problems. This was analyzed by propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS: In total, 558 (PRYGB) and 155 (CRYGB) completed at least 2 years of follow-up. After PSM, both cohorts significantly decreased BMI from baseline (p < 0.001). The CRYGB group had an initially more significant mean BMI decrease of 6.095 kg/m2 at 6 months of follow-up (p < 0.001), while the PRYGB group had a more significant mean BMI decrease of 5.890 kg/m2 and 8.626 kg/m2 at 1 and 2 years, respectively (p < 0.001). Food tolerance (FT) improved significantly in the CRYGB group (p < 0.001), while CRYGB had better FT than PRYGB at 2 years (p < 0.001). A GERD resolution rate of 92.6% was recorded in the CRYGB (p < 0.001). Both cohorts had comparable rates of early complications (p = 0.584), late complications (p = 0.495), and reoperations (p = 0.398). Associated medical problems at 2 years significantly improved in both cohorts (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: CRYGB is a safe and efficient option in non- or poor responders after LSG, with significant weight loss and improvement in GERD. Moreover, PRYGB and CRYGB had comparable complications, reoperations, and associated medical problem resolution rates.

Comparison of Histological Skin Changes After Massive Weight Loss in Post-bariatric and Non-bariatric Patients.

BACKGROUND: Changes in the skin structure, including the collagen and elastin content, have been reported with massive weight loss (MWL) following bariatric metabolic surgery (BMS) and have been correlated to a higher risk of complications after body-contouring surgery (BCS). This study aimed at comparing the histological characteristics of the skin of patients having surgical MWL (SMWL) post-BMS to those with non-surgical massive weight loss (NSMWL). METHODS: This prospective study compared the epidermal thickness, and collagen and elastin fibers content in 80 skin biopsies obtained from BCS procedures performed to patients who experienced MWL defined more than 50% of excess weight loss (%EWL) either SMWL (40 biopsies) or NSMWL (40 biopsies). Twenty biopsies in each group were obtained from abdominoplasties and 20 from breast reductions. Epidermal thickness was measured in H&E-stained sections, collagen fibers were assessed using Masson trichrome-stained sections, and elastin fibers were assessed using Modified Verhoeff's stained sections. Image analysis software was used to calculate the fractions of collagen and elastin fibers. RESULTS: This study included 77 patients, 38 SMWL patients, and 39 NSMWL patients. The SMWL group had a significantly higher age (p < 0.001), a longer time interval from intervention (p < 0.001), higher initial weight (p < 0.001), higher initial BMI (p < 0.001), lower current weight (p = 0.005), lower current BMI (p < 0.001), and significantly higher %EWL than NSMWL group (p < 0.001). No significant differences were detected between the two groups regarding complications after abdominoplasty (p = 1.000). The elastic fibers content in the dermis was significantly higher in the abdominal region of the NSMWL group than SMWL (p = 0.029). All other parameters showed non-significant differences between NSMWL and SMWL in the skin of abdomen and breast. CONCLUSION: The SMWL group had a significant reduction in elastic fiber content in the skin of the abdomen compared to the NSMWL group. The collagen content was equally reduced in both groups with non-significant differences in both breast and abdomen regions in both groups.

Incidence of persistent SARS-CoV-2 gut infection in patients with a history of COVID-19: Insights from endoscopic examination.

Background and study aims Gut infection is common during acute COVID-19, and persistent SARS-CoV-2 gut infection has been reported months after the initial infection, potentially linked to long-COVID syndrome. This study tested the incidence of persistent gut infection in patients with a history of COVID-19 undergoing endoscopic examination. Patients and methods Endoscopic biopsies were prospectively collected from patients with previous COVID-19 infection undergoing upper or lower gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE or LGE). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the presence of persistent SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid proteins. Results A total of 166 UGEs and 83 LGE were analyzed. No significant differences were observed between patients with positive and negative immunostaining regarding the number of previous COVID-19 infections, time since the last infection, symptoms, or vaccination status. The incidence of positive immunostaining was significantly higher in UGE biopsies than in LGE biopsies (37.34% vs. 16.87%, P =0.002). Smokers showed a significantly higher incidence of positive immunostaining in the overall cohort and UGE and LGE subgroups ( P <0.001). Diabetic patients exhibited a significantly higher incidence in the overall cohort ( P =0.002) and UGE subgroup ( P =0.022), with a similar trend observed in the LGE subgroup ( P =0.055). Conclusions Gut mucosal tissues can act as a long-term reservoir for SARS-CoV-2, retaining viral particles for months following the primary COVID-19 infection. Smokers and individuals with diabetes may be at an increased risk of persistent viral gut infection. These findings provide insights into the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the gut and have implications for further research.

Managing the Complication of Band Erosion in Banded Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Case Report.

We present a case involving a patient with laparoscopic banded sleeve gastrectomy (BSG) with a 3-month history of persistent vomiting, decreased tolerance for fluids, and limited intake of soft food items. Upon investigation, an eroded band and gastric dilatation were identified. The treatment involved the removal of the eroded band and a segment of the stomach, followed by the restoration of gastric continuity through a gastrogastrostomy.

Effects of obstructive sleep apnea on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with obesity: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity has been linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a widespread chronic liver ailment, as well as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The development of NAFLD is influenced by repeated intermittent hypoxia, a feature of OSA. METHODS: This systematic review (SR) investigated CENTRAL, PubMed, and EMBASE databases. The endpoint of this SR was to assess which OSA-related indicators could predict the presence of NAFLD and the effect of bariatric metabolic surgery (BMS) on improving OSA and NAFLD over time. RESULTS: Compared to previous SRs published in 2013, 14 new publications were added to our SR, alongside studies conducted prior to 2013. The SR ultimately included 28 studies (18 cross-sectional and 10 cohort trials). In the majority of studies, significant correlations were observed between OSA, OSA-related outcomes, and NAFLD. However, the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) alone proved to be an inadequate predictor of NAFLD. Instead, respiratory and metabolic changes were found to alleviate oxidative stress induced by hypoxemia. Six studies involved patients who underwent BMS, with one evaluating patients before and after BMS, revealing associations between increased OSA and NAFLD improvement following BMS. Six months after surgery, 100% of patients in the mild-to-moderate OSA group were free from fatty liver, and an 89% reduction was observed in the severe OSA group. CONCLUSION: For the first time, BMS has been tested in treating both OSA and NAFLD pre and postoperative with positive results. Further research, ideally with histological and functional data, is needed to confirm these findings. The SR identified 14 distinct liver outcome tests; however, high heterogeneity and incomplete data precluded a meta-analysis. It is imperative to pay greater attention to the influence of OSA-related factors and uniformity in liver outcomes testing concerning NAFLD. To accomplish this, study designs should be enhanced by incorporating more comprehensive pre- and postoperative evaluations, extending follow-up periods, and employing a more consistent methodology for liver diagnosis in patients with obesity.

Lingering SARS-CoV-2 in Gastric and Gallbladder Tissues of Patients with Previous COVID-19 Infection Undergoing Bariatric Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Lingering severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in gut tissue might be a source of infection during bariatric surgery. This study aimed to confirm the presence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid in gastric and gallbladder tissues removed during bariatric surgery in individuals previously infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who had negative polymerase chain reaction results prior to the surgery. METHODS: Gastric and gallbladder specimens from 80 patients who underwent bariatric surgery between November 2021 and May 2022 and had a history of COVID-19 infection with gastrointestinal symptoms were examined for the presence of lingering SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid proteins using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Gastric specimens from 26 (32.5%) patients and 4 (100%) cholecystectomy specimens showed positive cytoplasmic staining for the anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein in surface mucosal epithelial cells. The mean age was 37.8 ± 10.3 years. The average body mass index was 44.2 ± 7.0 kg/m2; most of the patients were females (71.3%). The positive staining group was significantly younger than the negative staining group (p = 0.007). The full-dose vaccination rate was 58.8%, with a median of 91 days after the last vaccine dose. A positive serological anti-spike IgG response was observed in 99% of the patients. The median time between initial COVID-19 infection and surgery was 274 and 380 days in the positive and negative staining groups, respectively (p = 0.371). CONCLUSION: Gastric and gallbladder tissues can retain SARS-CoV-2 particles for a long time after COVID-19 infection, handling stomach specimens from patients during an operation must be done with care, as we usually do, but now with the knowledge that in 1/3 of patients they can be present. Performing LSG on post-COVID patients did not seem to increase perioperative morbidity.

Impact of bariatric surgery on the effectiveness of serological response after COVID-19 vaccination.

PURPOSE: The primary objective of the current study is to determine whether bariatric surgery reversed the negative impact of obesity on the serological response after the COVID-19 vaccination. This objective is achieved in two steps: (a) quantifying the negative impact of obesity on the serological response after COVID-19 vaccination if it is present, and (b) testing whether bariatric surgery reversed this impact. The secondary objective was to monitor the occurrence of adverse events. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study between May 2021 and August 2021 on the strength of serological response after COVID-19 vaccination. Patients were classified into three groups. Group A (controls with normal or overweight), Group B (bariatric patients pre-operative), and Group C (bariatric patients post-operative). Quantitative antibodies against SARS­CoV­2 RBD with a strong neutralizing capacity were quantified from sera after at least 2 weeks post-vaccination. RESULTS: Of the 276 participants, Group A had n = 73, Group B had n = 126, and Group C had n = 77 patients. Overall, a strongly positive vaccine serological response was observed among 86% in group A, 63% in Group B, and 88% in Group C. Group C showed 5.33 times [95% CI 2.15 to 13.18] higher immune response than group B. Mild to moderate adverse events occurred in 30.1% [95% CI 24.7 to 35.9] of the study samples. Adverse events with the whole virus, mRNA, and vector vaccines occurred in 25%, 28%, and 37%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Vaccinating and bariatric surgery are safe and effective treatments in the serological response in patients who suffer from obesity.

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Versus Laparoscopic Greater Curvature Plication: a Long-Term Follow-up Study on the Complications, Body Mass Index Changes, Endoscopic Findings and Causes of Revision.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery has been increasingly becoming popular due to the advancements in minimally invasive approaches and techniques. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term outcomes and clinical relevance of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic greater curvature plication (LGCP) in a matched controlled single-bariatric centre study. METHODS: We collected data from 163 patients who underwent either LSG or LGCP over a period of at least 5 years. The outcome parameters included body mass index (BMI) changes, causes of revision surgery, endoscopic findings and effects on obesity-related comorbidities. RESULTS: A total of 79 patients underwent LGCP, while 84 underwent LSG for morbid obesity. At the fifth year of follow-up, a BMI of < 30 was achieved in 1% of patients who underwent LGCP (n = 1) compared with more than 80% of patients who underwent LSG (n = 70). Revision was mainly due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or bile reflux in the LSG group and due to weight gain in the LGCP group. LSG was superior in improvements in comorbidities. The most observed endoscopic finding was GERD (grade a, b) in the LSG group and unfolding of part of or the whole stomach in the LGCP group. Early minor postoperative complications occurred at a significantly lower frequency in the LSG group. CONCLUSIONS: LGCP has a higher rate of complications, a much less durable effect on weight loss, a higher rate of revision surgery and a higher cost burden to the health care system than LSG.