The natural history of perforated marginal ulcers after gastric bypass surgery

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: postoperative care pathway guidelines for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

BACKGROUND

Clinical care pathways and guidelines help guide and provide structure to clinicians and providers to improve healthcare delivery and quality. The Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) Committee of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) has previously published care pathways for the performance of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), preoperative care of patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), and most recently, intraoperative care of patients undergoing RYGB.

OBJECTIVES

This current RYGB care pathway guideline was created to address postoperative care guidance.

SETTING

Academic Health Center.

METHODS

For this systematic review, PubMed queries were performed from January 1979 to December 2019. Follow-up queries were performed from January 2020 to July 2024. Peer-reviewed publications were reviewed according to the level of evidence (LoE) regarding specific key questions developed by the QIPS Committee and working group for this pathway.

RESULTS

Evidence-based recommendations are made for the postoperative care of patients undergoing RYGB, including recommendations for early postoperative care, postoperative medication management, and long-term postoperative surveillance.

CONCLUSIONS

This document may provide a structure to providers based on current evidence for the postoperative care of patients with overweight or obesity undergoing RYGB.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) prescribing after gastrojejunostomy: A preventable cause of morbidity

OBJECTIVE

Study findings showing an association between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and marginal ulcer, a significant cause of morbidity after gastrojejunostomy, have been inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate this relationship in large cohort.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort included adult patients with a history of gastrojejunostomy documented between 2004 and 2023. The electronic medical record was queried for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescriptions, marginal ulcer diagnosis, and comorbidities. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the association between marginal ulcer and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug exposures, controlling for smoking, Helicobacter pylori history, acid-suppressing therapy, diabetes, age, and sex.

RESULTS

During the study period, 6,888 patients with a history of gastrojejunostomy were identified, of whom 45.2% (n = 3,115) of patients were exposed to an nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and 10.12% (n = 697) developed a marginal ulcer. On multivariable analysis, the risk of marginal ulcer was found to be dose-dependent, with increasing odds of marginal ulcer with an increasing number of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug exposures from odds ratio 1.67 (95% confidence interval, 1.37-2.02) with 1-2 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug exposures to odds ratio 2.42 (95% confidence interval, 1.79-3.24) with >8 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug exposures. Acid-suppressing therapy was found to be protective (odds ratio, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.52-0.73). Over the last decade, the number of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed to patients with gastrojejunostomy has significantly increased from 15.87 prescriptions per 1,000 patients per year to 531.02 per 1,000 patients per year (R2 = 0.91, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Marginal ulcer after gastrojejunostomy is associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescriptions in a dose-dependent manner. Although acid-suppressing therapy appears protective for marginal ulcer, quality improvement efforts should focus on diminishing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescribing in this population.

ASMBS literature review on the treatment of marginal ulcers after metabolic and bariatric surgery

Marginal ulcers (MUs) encompass a group of mucosal disruptions and subsequent inflammatory changes and their sequala found after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) oneanastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB), and, less commonly, after biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD/DS) or single anastomosis duodeno-ileostomy with sleeve gastrectomy (SADI-S). Prevalence of MU after RYGB ranges from .6%-16%. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the treatment options available for MU after MBS for providers who treat them.

Late marginal ulcer perforation after Roux-en-Y Gastric bypass - A case report with two-step management

INTRODUCTION

Marginal ulcers are an acid-related complication of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Few cases of acute perforation have been described, and there are few reports on viable surgical management. This case report demonstrates a two-step surgical procedure for treating a perforated late marginal ulcer in a patient with sepsis.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 39-year-old smoker presented to the emergency department six years after undergoing a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Diagnostic findings revealed ascites and changes in intestinal calibre, indicating the need for surgery. Intraoperatively, a perforated marginal ulcer covered by the liver was observed. Given the extent of the perforation and the patient's increased instability, discontinuity resection was performed. After stabilisation and improvement in the nutritional status, the gastrojejunostomy was restored nine weeks later.

DISCUSSION

Treatment of Marginal ulcers is controversial, with no clear guidelines. However, severe complications require endoscopic or surgical treatment. The literature considers three main surgical treatment options for perforated marginal ulcers: surgical repair, surgical anastomotic revision, and gastric bypass reversal. Complicated situations, significant intraoperative findings, and unstable patients require tailored approaches.

CONCLUSION

A two-step procedure with discontinuity resection for damage control surgery, patient stabilisation, and improvement of nutritional status, followed by elective continuity restoration with a new gastrojejunostomy, is considered feasible in critically ill patients.

Non-Operative Approach to Contained Perforated Marginal Ulcers: A Systematic Review and Case Series

BACKGROUND

Perforated marginal ulcers (PMUs) are a rare but known complication of bariatric surgery. Management typically involves prompt surgical intervention, but limited data exists on non-operative approaches. This study reviews published data on non-operative management of PMUs and presents a case series of patients who were managed non-operatively. Our hypothesis is that certain patients with signs of perforation can be successfully managed non-operatively with close observation.

METHODS

We completed a systematic review searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and clinicaltrials.gov. Ultimately 3 studies described the presentation and non-operative management of 5 patients. Additionally, we prospectively collected data from our institution on all patients who presented between Dec. 2022 and Dec. 2023 with PMUs confirmed on imaging and managed non-operatively.

RESULTS

In our literature review, three patients had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), while two had one anastomosis gastric bypass. One patient required surgery two days after admission. Another underwent elective conversion surgery weeks later for a non-healing ulcer. Two received endoscopic interventions. One patient recovered with nil-per-os (NPO) status, and intravenous proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment. The patients in our case series presented with normal vital signs, an average of 30 months after RYGB, and with CT scan signs of perforation. None of these patients required surgical or endoscopic intervention.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, while perforated marginal ulcers have traditionally been considered a surgical emergency, some patients can be successfully treated with non-operative management. More research is needed to identify the clinical presentation features, comorbidities, and imaging findings of this group.

Marginal Ulcers after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: Etiology, Diagnosis, and Management

Marginal ulcer (MU) is a potential complication following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), with a mean prevalence of 4.6%. Early identification and prompt intervention are crucial to mitigating further complications. The pathophysiology of MU is complex and involves multiple factors, including smoking, Helicobacter pylori infection, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, and larger pouch size. Patients with MU may experience acute or chronic abdominal pain. Rarely, they may present with a complication from the ulceration, such as bleeding, perforation, or strictures. Following diagnosis by endoscopy, management of MU typically involves modification of risk factors and medical therapy focused on proton pump inhibitors. In case of complicated ulcers, surgical intervention is often required for the repair of the perforation or resection of the stricture. For recurrent or recalcitrant ulcers, endoscopic coverage of the ulcer bed, resection of the anastomosis, and abdominal or thoracoscopic truncal vagotomy may be considered. This review aims at providing an overview of the etiology, diagnosis, and management of MU after RYGB.

Revision Gastrojejunostomy Versus Suturing With and Without Omental Patch for Perforated Marginal Ulcer Treatment After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

BACKGROUND

Ulceration at the gastrojejunostomy is a late bariatric surgery complication in 0.6-16% of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) patients. As there is no general consensus on management of acute ulcer perforations, we compare two methods of surgical repair: the most commonly performed procedure, suturing of ulcer with or without omental patch versus revision gastrojejunostomy (RG).

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of cases at a single large, Midwestern US high-volume bariatric center from November 2, 2006 through March 11, 2021 identified 144 RYGB patients undergoing surgical repair for a perforated ulcer: 72 treated by SGP and 72 by RG. Outcomes, including length of stay, leaks, readmissions, and reoperations, were compared. Categorical variables were compared by Chi-square tests and continuous variables by ANOVA.

RESULTS

Patients were primarily female (77.1%) and Caucasian (97.2%), 49.7 ± 12.5 years old, and 90.6 ± 26.6 kg. Most had laparoscopic RYGBs (98.6%). There were no demographic differences between groups. Of the RG patients, 11.4% experienced ulcer recurrence versus 41.7% of SGP patients (p < .001), and 2.8% of RG versus 11.1% of SGP patients required a reversal (p < .05). No significant differences between groups occurred in time to perforation (3.2 vs. 2.5 years for RG and SGP groups, respectively), length of stay (5.0 vs. 6.8 days), leaks (1.4% vs. 2.8%), readmissions (4.2% vs. 4.2%), or reoperations (2.8% vs 5.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients developing perforated marginal ulcers after RYGB can be safely and effectively treated by revision gastrojejunostomy with a lower likelihood of ulcer recurrence. Short-term morbidity was comparable to suturing with or without an omental patch.

Increased incidence of marginal ulceration following conversion of sleeve gastrectomy to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a multi-institutional experience

BACKGROUND

Marginal ulcer (MU) formation is a serious complication following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB). Incidental data suggested a higher incidence of MU following conversion of Sleeve Gastrectomy to RYGB (S-RYGB). Herein, we evaluate the incidence of MU after primary versus secondary RYGB.

METHODS

After IRB approval, each institution's electronic medical record and MBSAQIP database were queried to retrospectively identify adult patients who underwent primary RYGB (P-RYGB), Gastric Banding to RYGB (B-RYGB), or S-RYGB between 2014 and 2019, with minimum 1 year follow-up. Patient demographics, operative data, and post-operative outcomes were compared. Numeric variables were compared via two-sample t test, Wilcoxon test or Kruskal Wallis rank sum test. Two-sample proportion test or Fisher's exact test was employed for categorical and binary variables. p < 0.05 marked statistical significance.

RESULTS

748 patients underwent RYGB: P-RYGB n = 584 [78.1%]; B-RYGB n = 98 [13.1%]; S-RYGB n = 66 [8.8%]. Most patients were female (83.2%). Mean age was 45.7 years. Forty-six (n = 6.1%) patients developed MU, a median of 14 ± 32.2 months (range 0.5-82) post-operatively. Incidence of MU was significantly higher for patients undergoing S-RYGB (n = 9 [13.6%]), compared to P-RYGB (n = 34 [5.8%]) and B-RYGB (n = 3 [3.1%]) (p = 0.023). Median time (months) to MU was significantly shorter for patients who underwent S-RYGB (5 ± 6) compared to P-RYGB or B-RYGB (19 ± 37.5) (p = 0.035). Among those who developed MU, there was no significant difference in H. pylori status, NSAID, steroid, or tobacco use, irrespective of operation performed.

CONCLUSION

In this multi-institutional cohort, patients who underwent S-RYGB had a significantly higher incidence of MU than those with P-RYGB or B-RYGB. Further research is needed to elucidate its pathophysiology and prevention strategies.

Re-do Laparoscopic Gastrojejunostomy for Gastrojejunal Anastomosis Stricture After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Stricture of the gastrojejunostomy is a possible complication after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. We present the case of a patient with stricture refractory to endoscopic dilation. The patient underwent laparoscopic revision of the gastrojejunostomy with a hand-sewn anastomosis.

Smoking in bariatric surgery: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of smoking among patients undergoing bariatric surgery has been reported to be as high as 40%. The effect of smoking in the perioperative period has been extensively studied for various surgical procedures, but limited data are available for bariatric surgery. The objective of this study is to review the existing literature to assess: (1) the impact of smoking on postoperative morbidity and mortality after bariatric surgery, (2) the relationship between smoking and weight loss after bariatric surgery, and (3) the efficacy of smoking cessation in the perioperative period among bariatric surgery patients.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library from 1946 to February 2020 was performed to identify relevant articles. Following an initial screen of 940 titles and abstracts, 540 full articles were reviewed.

RESULTS

Forty-eight studies met criteria for analysis: five structured interviews, three longitudinal studies, thirty-two retrospective studies and eight prospective studies. Smoking within 1 year prior to bariatric surgery was found to be an independent risk factor for increased 30-day mortality and major postoperative complications, particularly wound and pulmonary complications. Smoking was significantly associated with long-term complications including marginal ulceration and bone fracture. Smoking has little to no effect on weight loss following bariatric surgery, with studies reporting at most a 3% increased percentage excess weight loss. Rates of smoking recidivism are high with studies reporting that up to 17% of patients continue to smoke postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

Although current best practice guidelines recommend only a minimum of 6 weeks of abstinence from smoking prior to bariatric surgery, the findings of this review suggest that smoking within 1 year prior to bariatric surgery is associated with significant postoperative morbidity. More investigation is needed on strategies to improve smoking cessation compliance among bariatric surgery patients in the perioperative period.

The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs after sleeve gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is discouraged after bariatric surgery. The effect of NSAIDs on patients who have undergone sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is not well studied. Moreover, the rate of NSAID use after SG is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the rate of NSAID use after SG, and its associated complications.

SETTING

A single institution, multi-surgeon, academic, tertiary care hospital.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent SG between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2017. A phone interview was conducted with identified patients. The inclusion criteria were any patient who had undergone SG during the study period, and there were no exclusion criteria.

RESULTS

We identified 421 SG patients for inclusion. There were 231 phone surveys completed, with 64.5% of respondents reporting some NSAID use after SG. Of the respondents who used NSAIDs, 40.3% reported that they used the drugs often (>once/wk), 28.2% reported occasional use (>once/mo but <once/wk), and 31.5% reported rare use (<once/mo). Nearly 26% of phone interview respondents regularly used NSAIDs after SG. A retrospective review of the 421-patient cohort revealed 0 cases of sleeve complications secondary to NSAID use when searching for incidences of bleeding, ulceration, gastritis, gastropathy, perforation, leak, or stenosis.

CONCLUSION

NSAID use in our bariatric surgery population is high despite an institutional policy to prohibit their use across all bariatric patients. Despite the high incidence of NSAID use in our patient population, we could not identify a single case of an NSAID-induced gastrointestinal complication in our retrospective review. NSAID use after SG may be a safe and viable pain management strategy that needs further evaluation.

Comparison of gastrojejunostomy techniques and anastomotic complications: a systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

There are several ways to perform the gastrojejunostomy (GJ) anastomosis in laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). Surgeons typically use a variation of three techniques: Hand-sewn anastomosis (HSA), Linear stapled (LS) and Circular stapled anastomosis (CSA). The purpose of this literature review is to determine which of the GJ techniques, if any, is superior and results in the least amount of postoperative complications, with a specific focus on rates of marginal ulcers, postoperative bleeding, and strictures.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane electronic databases were consulted for studies on LRYGB procedures utilizing a GJ anastomosis, from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019. Cochrane and PRISMA screening methods were used to select the studies.

RESULTS

Eleven studies published between 2015 and 2019 were selected and included 135,899 patients that underwent LRYGB with a GJ anastomosis. Sample sizes ranged from 114 to 49,331 patients. Four studies reported that CSA had statistically significant higher rates of marginal ulcers when compared to HSA and LS techniques. Three studies concluded that CSA had statistically significant higher rates of postoperative bleeding when compared to HSA and LS. Five studies observed that CSA had statistically significant higher rates of strictures when compared to HSA and LS techniques. There was no consensus whether HSA or LS was superior in terms of reduced postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed statistically significant increases in rates of postoperative bleeding, marginal ulcer, and strictures with the use of mechanical circular staplers at the GJ anastomosis in LRYGB. Based on our results, avoiding the use of mechanical circular staplers can result in fewer postoperative complications. Nevertheless, there are limitations to retrospective studies which may influence the results and therefore a randomized controlled trial directly comparing HSA, CSA, and LS should be performed to truly determine which technique is superior.

Self-Reported Smoking Compared to Serum Cotinine in Bariatric Surgery Patients: Smoking Is Underreported Before the Operation

BACKGROUND

Smoking has been associated with postoperative complications and mortality in bariatric surgery. The evidence for smoking is based on self-report and medical charts, which can lead to misclassification and miscalculation of the associations. Determination of cotinine can objectively define nicotine exposure. We determined the accuracy of self-reported smoking compared to cotinine measurement in three phases of the bariatric surgery trajectory.

METHODS

Patients in the phase of screening (screening), on the day of surgery (surgery), and more than 18 months after surgery (follow-up) were consecutively selected. Self-reported smoking was registered and serum cotinine was measured. We evaluated the accuracy of self-reported smoking compared to cotinine, and the level of agreement between self-report and cotinine for each phase.

RESULTS

In total, 715 patients were included. In the screening, surgery, and follow-up group, 25.6%, 18.0%, and 15.5%, respectively, was smoking based on cotinine. The sensitivity of self-reported smoking was 72.5%, 31.0%, and 93.5% in the screening, surgery, and follow-up group, respectively (p < 0.001). The specificity of self-report was > 95% in all groups (p < 0.02). The level of agreement between self-report and cotinine was 0.778, 0.414, and 0.855 for the screening, surgery, and follow-up group, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Underreporting of smoking occurs before bariatric surgery, mainly on the day of surgery. Future studies on effects of smoking and smoking cessation in bariatric surgery should include methods taking into account the issue of underreporting.

Evaluation of the rate of marginal ulcer formation after bariatric surgery using the MBSAQIP database

BACKGROUND

Marginal ulcer (MU) formation is a known problem after gastric bypass. The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) database contains data from all US and Canadian Centers of Excellence including complication rates. We hypothesized that the short-term rate of ulceration is low.

METHODS

We queried the MBSAQIP database for the year 2015. We searched patients with primary gastric bypass who developed MU. We then compared preoperative, operative, and postoperative characteristics with patients who did not develop MU.

RESULTS

The incidence of MU in the entire cohort of GB patients was 155 of 44,379 (0.35%, 95% CI 0.297%, 0.409%). Among the 155 patients with an ulcer, 88 (57%) patients had only one procedure, 69 had an intervention (therapeutic or diagnostic endoscopy), 16 had readmission, and 3 had reoperation. 65 patients (42%) had two procedures with the majority having both readmissions and endoscopy (n = 59); and two patients (1%) had three procedures. Ulcer formation was most common in the intervention group (11.4%). The occurrence of ulcer formation was associated with unplanned ICU admissions (6.45%), transfusions (5.16%), postoperative UTI (3.87%), sepsis (1.94%), and myocardial infarction (0.65%). Death occurred in 76 patients with no related cases to MUs. The risk of ulcer was associated with increased BMI (OR 1.02, p = 0.01), presence of percutaneous transluminal cardiac catheterization (PTC) (2.17, p = 0.038), histories of DVT (1.72, p = 0.085), and pulmonary embolism (2.84, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

In a nationally reported database, symptomatic MUs rarely occur in the first month. The large majority are diagnosed and treated endoscopically with minimal need for surgical intervention. The risk of anastomotic ulcer was increased with increased BMI, need for PTC, and history of DVT/PE.