Trends in Use of Upper Abdominal Procedures in Sweden 1998–2011: A Population-Based Study

Cholecystectomy after gastric bypass-incidence and complications

BACKGROUND

Although cholecystectomy incidence is known to be high after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, the actual increase in incidence is not known. Furthermore, the outcome of cholecystectomy after RYGB is not known.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate cholecystectomy incidence before and after RYGB and to compare the outcome of post-RYGB cholecystectomy with the cholecystectomy outcome in the background population.

SETTING

Nationwide Swedish multiregister study.

METHODS

The Swedish Register for Cholecystectomy and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (n = 79,386) and the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (n = 36,098) were cross-matched for the years 2007 through 2013 and compared with the National Patient Register.

RESULTS

The standardized incidence ratio for cholecystectomy before RYGB was 3.42 (2.75-4.26, P<.001); the ratio peaked at 11.4 (10.2-12.6, P<.001) 6-12 months after RYGB, which was 3.54 times the baseline level (2.78-4.49, P<.001). After 36 months, the incidence ratio had returned to baseline. The post-RYGB group demonstrated an increased risk of 30-day postoperative complications after cholecystectomy (odds ratio 2.13, 1.78-2.56; P<.001), including reoperation (odds ratio 3.84, 2.76-5.36; P<.001), compared with the background population. The post-RYGB group also demonstrated a higher risk of conversion, acute cholecystectomy, and complicated gallstone disease and a slightly prolonged operative time, adjusted for age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, and previous open RYGB.

CONCLUSION

Compared with the background population, the incidence of cholecystectomy was substantially elevated already before RYGB and increased further 6-36 months after RYGB. Previous RYGB doubled the risk of postoperative complications after cholecystectomy and almost quadrupled the risk of reoperation, even when intraoperative cholangiography was normal.

Use of Laparoscopy in Gastrointestinal Surgery in Sweden 1998–2014: A Nationwide Study

Background and Aims:

One by one, minimally invasive alternatives to established gastrointestinal procedures have become clinical routine. We have studied the use of laparoscopy in four common procedures—cholecystectomy, appendectomy, reflux surgery, and bariatric surgery—as well as in major resectional gastrointestinal surgery in Sweden.

Materials and Methods:

The National Patient Registry was used to identify all in-hospital procedures performed in patients above the age of 15 during 1998–2014, meeting our inclusion criteria. For each group, the annual number of procedures and proportion of laparoscopic surgery were studied, as well as applicable subgroups. Differences in age, gender, as well as geographical differences were evaluated in the most recent 3-year period (2012–2014).

Results:

In total, 537,817 procedures were studied, 43% by laparoscopic approach. In 2012–2014, the proportion of laparoscopic surgery ranged from high rates in the four common procedures (cholecystectomy 81%, appendectomy 47%, reflux surgery 72%, and bariatric surgery 97%) to rather low numbers in resectional surgery (4%–10%), however, increasing in the last years. In appendectomy and cholecystectomy, men were less likely to have laparoscopic surgery (42% versus 51% and 74% versus 85%, respectively, p < 0.001). Substantial geographical differences in the use of laparoscopy were also noted, for example, the proportion of laparoscopic appendectomy varied from 11% to 76% among the 21 different Swedish counties.

Conclusion:

The proportion of laparoscopy was high in the four common procedures and low, but rising, in major resectional surgery. A large variation in the proportion of laparoscopic surgery by age, gender, and place of residence was noted.

Prevalence of anemia and related deficiencies 10 years after gastric bypass--a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Bariatric surgery has gained wide acceptance as treatment for severe obesity and is associated with decreased overall mortality. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of anemia long term after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and to search for factors predicting anemia.

METHODS

All 745 patients who underwent RYGB between 1993 and 2003 at either Örebro or Uppsala University Hospital and who were living in Sweden were invited to participate by providing a fasting blood sample and completing a questionnaire about their health status. Full blood count, serum iron, transferrin, vitamin B12, and folic acid were determined.

RESULTS

Follow-up was completed in 431 patients (58 %) with mean age 51.3 ± 10 years. Of all patients, 27 % had anemia postoperatively and related deficiencies; iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 were seen in 20, 12, and 2 %, respectively. There was no correlation between anemia and sex, follow-up time, 25-OH vitamin D level, and preoperative or postoperative BMI. An inverse correlation was found between anemia and regular medical checkups concerning gastric bypass surgery.

CONCLUSION

Twenty-seven percent of patients had anemia more than 10 years after RYGB. Anemia does not seem to progress with time and was less common in patients with regular medical checkups. Thus, improved long-term follow-up is needed.

Claims to the patient insurance after bariatric surgery in Sweden 2000-2012

BACKGROUND

Since 2000, the annual number of bariatric procedures has increased more than 10-fold in Sweden, and in 2012, 94% of these procedures were primary laparoscopic gastric bypass.

METHODS

We studied claims from the national Patient Insurance (Landstingens Ömsesidiga Försäkringsbolag, LÖF) to evaluate if the number of adverse events (AEs) from a patient perspective had increased unproportionally. All claims related to bariatric surgery from January 2000 to March 2012 were identified by ICD-10 codes and divided into 3 main groups: (1) procedure-related AEs (occurring within 30 days), (2) late AEs, and (3) nonsurgical AEs. Logistic regression was used to study the change in claim rate over time. The setting was a university hospital in Sweden.

RESULTS

In total, 359 claims were included, corresponding to 14 claims per 1,000 bariatric procedures (laparoscopic 59%, open 24%, revision 17%). Numbers correlated with the expansion of bariatric surgery and type of procedure routinely performed. Of the procedure-related claims (74% of all claims), postoperative leaks or bleedings were most common. In this group, patients frequently needed additional surgery (69%) and intensive care (42%). Half of the late AEs (69 in total) were related to abdominal pain or malnutrition, including 5 cases of Wernicke's encephalopathy. In total 2% died. Of 344 settled claims, economical compensation was given to 29%.

CONCLUSION

In this cohort of patients with insurance claims after bariatric surgery (1.4% of all procedures), procedure-related AEs were severe, with a large amount of patients requiring reoperation and intensive care. No change in claim rate was seen, in spite of the 10-fold increase of bariatric surgery.