Bariatric Surgery: A Perspective for Primary Care

The effect of preadmission education given to bariatric surgery patients on postoperative recovery: A randomized controlled study

AIM

To investigate the effect of preadmission education given to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy patients on preoperative and postoperative anxiety, postoperative pain, and patient vital signs.

METHODS

The study was designed as randomized, controlled, experimental, and single-blind. This study was conducted with 68 patients who met the inclusion criteria and underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in the general surgery clinic of a university hospital between December 2022 and October 2023. Data were collected using the 'Perioperative Form,' 'Visual Analog Scale,' and 'State Anxiety Scale I-II.' Intervention group patients were informed and educated about the surgical process in the outpatient clinic. The anxiety levels of all patients were determined with the State Anxiety Scale the day before surgery. In the postoperative period, vital signs (once), anxiety (on the first day after surgery), and pain levels (eight times during 48 h) were measured.

RESULTS

In the analysis between the groups, the difference between the duration of postoperative hospital stay (p = 0.007), pain (p = 0.000 for all measured), and anxiety levels (p = 0.000) was statistically significant. There were also significant differences in the diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.007), body temperature (p = 0.000), and saturation values (p = 0.000). Patients' readiness level for surgery was the most influential factor in postoperative pain levels (p = 0.000).

CONCLUSION

The education given to the patients before hospitalization decreased preoperative and postoperative anxiety levels, postoperative hospital stay and pain levels, and positively affected diastolic blood pressure, body temperature and saturation levels. One-to-one education given to patients in the outpatient clinic also contributes positively to their readiness for surgery. This study provides valuable evidence to the wider global clinical community by demonstrating the important benefits of preadmission education for patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Implementation of similar educational interventions in diverse healthcare settings worldwide may lead to increased postoperative recovery and improved overall patient well-being after bariatric surgery.

Association Between Patient Portal Engagement and Weight Loss Outcomes in Patients After Bariatric Surgery: Longitudinal Observational Study Using Electronic Health Records

BACKGROUND

Bariatric surgery is an effective intervention for obesity, but comprehensive postoperative self-management is essential for optimal outcomes. While patient portals are generally seen as beneficial in engaging patients in health management, the link between their use and post-bariatric surgery weight loss remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the association between patient portal engagement and postoperative BMI reduction among patients after bariatric surgery.

METHODS

This retrospective longitudinal study included patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center between January 2018 and March 2021. Patient portal engagement was measured during 4 stages: early (within 3 months after surgery), early midterm (3-6 months), late midterm (6-9 months), and late (9-12 months). Using generalized estimating equations, we estimated the associations between patients' portal engagements at these stages and the percentage of BMI reduction (%BMIR) at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Covariates included duration since surgery, patient's age at the time of surgery, sex, race and ethnicity, type of bariatric surgery, severity of comorbid conditions, and socioeconomic disadvantage.

RESULTS

The study included 1415 patients, predominantly female (n=1145, 80.9%), with a racial composition of 76.9% (n=1088) White and 19.9% (n=282) Black. Overall, 805 (56.9%) patients underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and 610 (43.1%) underwent sleeve gastrectomy. By 1 year after surgery, the median %BMIR was 31.5% (IQR 25.2%-36.8%), and the median number of active days on the patient portal was 54 (IQR 33-80). Early portal engagement was significantly associated with %BMIR at various postoperative times. Specifically, each additional 10 days of early portal engagement was associated with a 0.37% (95% CI -0.55% to -0.18%; P<.001) lower expected %BMIR at 3 months, a 1.11% (95% CI 0.82%-1.41%; P<.001) higher expected %BMIR at 6 months, and a 0.78% (95% CI 0.25%-1.31%; P=.004) higher expected %BMIR at 12 months. Furthermore, early midterm portal engagement was associated with a 0.36% (95% CI -0.69 to -0.03; P=.03) lower expected %BMIR at 6 months, but it was not significant at 12 months (P=.88). Late midterm and late portal engagement were not significantly associated with %BMIR at 12 months (P=.27 and P=.12, respectively). Furthermore, early engagement in various portal functions, such as messaging and accessing medical records, was significantly associated with a lower %BMIR at 3 months and a higher %BMIR at both 6 and 12 months (all P<.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher patient portal engagement within 3 months after surgery-suggestive of stronger adherence to postoperative instructions and improved communication with care teams-is associated with less favorable weight loss immediately after surgery but enhanced postoperative weight loss outcomes at 6 and 12 months. However, the limitations of retrospective data-driven studies highlight the need for future intervention-based studies to validate these associations and establish causality.

How reliable is pre-sleeve endoscopy to characterize pathological features?

BACKGROUND

Vertical sleeve gastrectomy is a relatively new bariatric procedure with lower morbidity and mortality than other weight loss surgeries. The predictive values of preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy for detecting histopathological abnormalities prior to sleeve gastrectomy have not been clearly described. This study aimed to determine the negative predictive value of preoperative endoscopic biopsies for detecting Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and other pathological findings.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study examined 102 patients who underwent vertical sleeve gastrectomy from January 2023 to November 2023. Preoperative histopathology of esophagogastroduodenoscopy specimens was compared to postoperative ones for H. pylori infection, gastritis, atrophy, and metaplasia. Moreover, gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms were postoperatively followed for 6 months.

RESULTS

The negative predictive value of preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy for detecting H. pylori infection, gastritis, metaplasia and atrophy were 95 %, 79 %, 93 %, and 98 %, respectively. In an overall view, for all pathologies, the negative predictive value was 53.4 %. Moderate gastritis and focal metaplasia were significantly underdiagnosed preoperatively (p < 0.001). H. pylori infection and focal metaplasia were significantly more prevalent in females after surgery (p < 0.001). H. pylori infection and gastritis were positively correlated with increased postoperative gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative endoscopy has a high negative predictive value for detecting H. pylori infection, atrophy, and metaplasia but has suboptimal values for gastritis.

Assessing clinical and metabolic responses related to hyperlipidemia, MASLD and type 2 diabetes: sleeve versus RYGB

OBJECTIVE

Both Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) are effective at inducing weight loss, but more information is needed on their comparative effectiveness at improving clinical/biochemical outcomes related to the presence of hyperlipidemia, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), or type 2 diabetes (T2D) at baseline. Here we aimed to assess this in real-world practice.

METHODS

This is a prospective cross-sectional and cohort study of 142 patients who underwent RYGB or LSG as per clinical practice. Clinical/biochemical data were collected at baseline, prior to surgery and 12 months post-bariatric surgery. Liver biopsy was performed during surgery to diagnose MASLD. The main outcome was 12-month changes in lipid parameters, mainly total cholesterol, between types of surgery.

RESULTS

A TOTAL OF: 107 participants underwent RYGB and 35 underwent LSG. Both groups were similar at baseline except for a higher proportion of males and waist circumference in the LSG group. At 12 months postsurgery, RYGB versus LSG resulted in a significantly lower body mass index, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein. However, alanine aminotransferase was significantly lower in those who underwent LSG. In subgroup analyses RYGB was superior at improving lipid-related parameters in those with hyperlipidemia, whereas LSG was superior at reducing alanine aminotransferase in those with MASLD.

CONCLUSIONS

RYGB versus LSG leads to greater reductions in body mass index and lipid parameters, especially in those with hyperlipidemia, whereas LSG showed greater improvements in liver enzymes in those with MASLD.

Patient Outcomes and Rate of Intensive Care Unit Admissions Following Bariatric Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 775 Patients

Background The last two decades have seen a significant rise in obesity and its adverse consequences across the globe. Bariatric surgery has emerged as a widely employed therapeutic approach for weight reduction and alleviating the risk of obesity-related chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. As bariatric procedures are gaining popularity, the complications associated with these procedures can not be ignored. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the incidence of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions following bariatric surgery and ICU-related mortality. Methodology This retrospective study conducted at King Hamad University Hospital, Bahrain evaluated the patient outcomes and the rate of ICU admissions following bariatric surgery between 2018 and 2022. Demographic data of the patients were extracted from electronic health records. The primary endpoint was ICU admission incidence and mortality, while secondary outcomes included risk factors, duration of ICU stay, and complications leading to ICU admission. Results Of the 775 patients included, 66.3% were female. The mean age of the patients was 35.92 ± 21.12 years. Over 91% of the patients had a body mass index above 30 kg/m2. The most common primary procedure was laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (75%), followed by gastric bypass (22.6%). In revision bariatric surgery, the majority (91.3%) had a conversion from sleeve gastrectomy to gastric bypass. Overall, 0.77% of patients were admitted to the ICU, with the majority being unplanned ICU admissions (0.52%). The average ICU stay was 21 days (1 to 54 days). The most common reason for ICU admission was sepsis, septic shock, and gastric leakage. Conclusions The results of this study show a relatively lower number of ICU admissions after bariatric surgery compared to previous studies.

Effects of a Mobilization Program Applied to Bariatric Surgery Patients on Preventing Gastrointestinal Complications: a Quasi-Experimental Study

PURPOSE

To investigate the effects of a planned early targeted mobilization program applied to patients that underwent bariatric surgery with the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy method on gastrointestinal complications (nausea-vomiting, abdominal distention, delayed flatus-defecation, and intolerance of early oral intake).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective, controlled group, quasi-experimental design study was conducted between July 2019 and March 2020 in the general surgery clinic of a training and research hospital with 70 patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy and met the inclusion criteria. The prepared mobilization program was applied to the patients on the 0th, 1st, and 2nd postoperative days, and the gastrointestinal functions of the patients were monitored.

RESULTS

The intervention group had a significantly shorter time to first flatus, defecation, and oral intake; higher frequency of defecation; lower pain, abdominal distention, and nausea; better tolerance of oral intake; and higher total oral intake compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Planned, early, and targeted mobilization was determined to be a feasible, safe, and cost-effective nursing intervention to prevent gastrointestinal complications in patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy.

The Phantom Satiation Hypothesis of Bariatric Surgery

The excitation of vagal mechanoreceptors located in the stomach wall directly contributes to satiation. Thus, a loss of gastric innervation would normally be expected to result in abrogated satiation, hyperphagia, and unwanted weight gain. While Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass (RYGB) inevitably results in gastric denervation, paradoxically, bypassed subjects continue to experience satiation. Inspired by the literature in neurology on phantom limbs, I propose a new hypothesis in which damage to the stomach innervation during RYGB, including its vagal supply, leads to large-scale maladaptive changes in viscerosensory nerves and connected brain circuits. As a result, satiation may continue to arise, sometimes at exaggerated levels, even in subjects with a denervated or truncated stomach. The same maladaptive changes may also contribute to dysautonomia, unexplained pain, and new emotional responses to eating. I further revisit the metabolic benefits of bariatric surgery, with an emphasis on RYGB, in the light of this phantom satiation hypothesis.

Renal changes and estimation of glomerular filtration rate using different equations in morbidly obese Egyptian patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Obesity is a worldwide pandemic with multiple consequences including kidney affection. This study aimed to assess the effects of obesity on renal functions and to detect the most reliable formula of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in morbidly obese patients.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted on 82 morbidly obese patients. Anthropometric measurements were done for all patients and body adiposity (BAI) and visceral adiposity (VAI) indices were calculated after assessment of abdominal fat tissue analysis by computerized tomography (CT). Serum creatinine was incorporated into six different formulae of eGFR, then eGFR was compared with the 24-h measured creatinine clearance (CL_cr) values.

RESULTS

The mean body mass index was 55.8 ± 9.5 kg/m². Proteinuria and glomerular hyperfiltration (CL_cr > 130 ml/min/1.73 m²) were detected in 68.3% and 91.5% of the patients, respectively. Cockcroft-Gault formula using total (CCG-TBW-eGFR) and adjusted body water (CCG-AjBW-eGFR) had the nearest values to measured CL_Cr. These two formulae had a moderate reliability and the lowest percentage of error (30% and 23%, respectively). Visceral and total abdominal fat tissue surface area and volume assessed by CT were directly correlated to the 24-h urinary protein excretion (r = 0.32, 0.24, 0.37 and 0.34, respectively; p = 0.02, 0.03, 0.004 and 0.002, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Glomerular hyperfiltration and proteinuria are highly prevalent in morbidly obese patients. There is no ideal formula for GFR estimation in morbidly obese patients, however, TBW and AjBW incorporated into the Cockcroft-Gault can be helpful in those patients.

Effects of gastric sleeve surgery on the serum levels of GH, IGF-1 and IGF-binding protein 2 in healthy obese patients

Background

Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for severe obesity. It also ameliorates diabetes independently of weight loss through mechanisms that are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the levels of GH, IGF-1 and IGF-binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2) after gastric sleeve surgery in healthy obese individuals.

Method

This study was conducted in 33 obese (BMI > 38.3) healthy male subjects aged 25 to 50 years undergoing sleeve gastrectomy. GH, IGF-1 and IGFBP-2 levels were evaluated by ELISA at baseline and 6–12 months after surgery. Other parameters, such as glucose, BMI, insulin, HOMA-IR and lipid profile, were also investigated.

Results

Systemic GH (12.32 vs. 50.97 pg/mL, p < 0.001) and IGFBP-2 levels (51.86 vs. 68.81 pg/mL, p < 0.001) were elevated after bariatric surgery. There was no change in IGF-1 level from before to after surgery. BMI (52.18 vs. 40.11, p = 0.001), insulin (19.35 vs. 8.80 mIU/L, p < 0.001) and HOMA-IR index (6.48 to 2.52, p < 0.001) were reduced after surgery. Lipid profile analysis revealed that total cholesterol (4.26 vs. 5.12 mmol/L, p < 0.001) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (0.90 to 1.55 mmol/L, p < 0.001) were increased, while triglycerides were decreased, after surgery (1.62 vs. 1.05 mmol/L p < 0.001). GH, IGF-1, and IGFBP-2 were not correlated with insulin or lipid parameters.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that improved circulating GH and IGFBP-2 levels may mediate the beneficial effects of gastric sleeve surgery in improving insulin sensitivity and reducing insulin demand.

Bariatric Surgery in Obesity: Effects on Gut Microbiota and Micronutrient Status

Obesity is associated with reduced gut microbial diversity and a high rate of micronutrient deficiency. Bariatric surgery, the therapy of choice for severe obesity, produces sustained weight loss and improvements in obesity-related comorbidities. Also, it significantly alters the gut microbiota (GM) composition and function, which might have an important impact on the micronutrient status as GM is able to synthesize certain vitamins, such as riboflavin, folate, B12, or vitamin K2. However, recent data have reported that GM is not fully restored after bariatric surgery; therefore, manipulation of GM through probiotics represents a promising therapeutic approach in bariatric patients. In this review, we discuss the latest evidence concerning the relationship between obesity, GM and micronutrients, the impact of bariatric surgery on GM in relation with micronutrients equilibrium, and the importance of the probiotics' supplementation in obese patients submitted to surgical treatment.

Malnutrition in obesity before and after bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgeries are considered the only effective way of weight loss therapy in morbidly obese patients, i.e. body mass index ≥ 35. However, micronutrient deficiencies and malnutrition are common after most bariatric procedures and thus, pre- and postoperative nutritional assessment and corrections are advised. The present review is presented in an effort to describe in some detail about prevalence, and mechanisms of macro- and micronutrient deficiencies in obese and post-bariatric surgery individuals. We also aimed to summarize the data on screening and supplementation of macro- and micronutrients before and after bariatric surgeries.