Technical Variations and Considerations around OAGB in IFSO-APC and IFSO-MENAC Chapters, an Expert Survey

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the technical variations of one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) among IFSO-APC and MENAC experts.

BACKGROUND

The multitude of technical variations and patient selection challenges among metabolic and bariatric surgeons worldwide necessitates a heightened awareness of these issues. Understanding different perspectives and viewpoints can empower surgeons performing OAGB to adapt their techniques, leading to improved outcomes and reduced complications.

METHODS

The scientific team of IFSO-APC, consisting of skilled bariatric and metabolic surgeons specializing in OAGB, conducted a confidential online survey. The survey aimed to assess technical variations and considerations related to OAGB within the IFSO-APC and IFSO-MENAC chapters. A total of 85 OAGB experts participated in the survey, providing their responses through a 35-question online format. The survey took place from January 1, 2024, to February 15, 2024.

RESULTS

Most experts do not perform OAGB for children and adolescents younger than 18 years. Most experts create the gastric pouch over a 36-40-F bougie and prefer to create a gastrojejunostomy, at the posterior wall of the gastric pouch. An anti-reflux suture during OAGB is performed in all patients by 51.8% of experts. Most experts set a common limb length of > 4 m in revisional and conversional OAGBs to prevent nutritional complications.

CONCLUSION

The ongoing debate among metabolic and bariatric surgeons regarding the technical variations and patient selection in OAGB remains a significant point of discussion. This survey demonstrated the variations in technical aspects and patient selection for OAGB among MBS surgeons in the IFSO-APC and IFSO-MENAC chapters. Standardizing the OAGB technique is crucial to ensure optimal safety and efficacy in this procedure.

Current recommendations for procedure selection in class I and II obesity developed by an expert modified Delphi consensus

Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is widely considered the most effective option for treating obesity, a chronic, relapsing, and progressive disease. Recently, the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) issued new guidelines on the indications for MBS, which have superseded the previous 1991 National Institutes of Health guidelines. The aim of this study is to establish the first set of consensus guidelines for selecting procedures in Class I and II obesity, using an Expert Modified Delphi Method. In this study, 78 experienced bariatric surgeons from 32 countries participated in a two-round Modified Delphi consensus voting process. The threshold for consensus was set at an agreement or disagreement of ≥ 70.0% among the experts. The experts reached a consensus on 54 statements. The committee of experts reached a consensus that MBS is a cost-effective treatment option for Class II obesity and for patients with Class I obesity who have not achieved significant weight loss through non-surgical methods. MBS was also considered suitable for patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or higher. The committee identified intra-gastric balloon (IGB) as a treatment option for patients with class I obesity and endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) as an option for patients with class I and II obesity, as well as for patients with T2DM and a BMI of ≥ 30 kg/m2. Sleeve gastrectomy (1) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) were also recognized as viable treatment options for these patient groups. The committee also agreed that one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) is a suitable option for patients with Class II obesity and T2DM, regardless of the presence or severity of obesity-related medical problems. The recommendations for selecting procedures in Class I and II obesity, developed through an Expert Modified Delphi Consensus, suggest that the use of standard primary bariatric endoscopic (IGB, ESG) and surgical procedures (SG, RYGB, OAGB) are acceptable in these patient groups, as consensus was reached regarding these procedures. However, randomized controlled trials are still needed in Class I and II Obesity to identify the best treatment approach for these patients in the future.

Bariatric Evaluation Through AI: a Survey of Expert Opinions Versus ChatGPT-4 (BETA-SEOV)

BACKGROUND

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT-4, are revolutionizing various sectors, including healthcare. This study investigates the use of ChatGPT-4 in identifying suitable candidates for bariatric surgery and providing surgical recommendations to improve decision-making in obesity treatment amid the global obesity epidemic.

METHODS

We devised ten patient scenarios, thoughtfully encompassing a spectrum that spans from uncomplicated cases to more complex ones. Our objective was to delve into the decision-making process regarding the recommendation of bariatric surgery. From July 29th to August 10th, 2023, we conducted a voluntary online survey involving thirty prominent bariatric surgeons, ensuring that there was no predetermined bias in the selection of a specific type of bariatric surgery. This survey was designed to collect their insights on these scenarios and gain a deeper understanding of their professional experience and background in the field of bariatric surgery. Additionally, we consulted ChatGPT-4 in two separate conversations to evaluate its alignment with expert opinions on bariatric surgery options.

RESULTS

In 40% of the scenarios, disparities were identified between the two conversations with ChatGPT-4. It matched expert opinions in 30% of cases. Differences were noted in cases like gastrointestinal metaplasia and gastric adenocarcinoma, but there was alignment with conditions like endometriosis and GERD.

CONCLUSION

The evaluation of ChatGPT-4's role in determining bariatric surgery suitability uncovered both potential and shortcomings. Its alignment with experts was inconsistent, and it often overlooked key factors, emphasizing human expertise's value. Its current use requires caution, and further refinement is needed for clinical application.

Religious Fasting of Muslim Patients After Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: a Modified Delphi Consensus

BACKGROUND

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of the Muslim faith. Despite the positive effects of fasting on health, there are no guidelines or clear recommendations regarding fasting after metabolic/bariatric surgery (MBS). The current study reports the result of a modified Delphi consensus among expert metabolic/bariatric surgeons with experience in managing patients who fast after MBS.

METHODS

A committee of 61 well-known metabolic and bariatric surgeons from 24 countries was created to participate in the Delphi consensus. The committee voted on 45 statements regarding recommendations and controversies around fasting after MBS. An agreement/disagreement ≥ of 70.0% was regarded as consensus.

RESULTS

The experts reached a consensus on 40 out of 45 statements after two rounds of voting. One hundred percent of the experts believed that fasting needs special nutritional support in patients who underwent MBS. The decision regarding fasting must be coordinated among the surgeon, the nutritionist and the patient. At any time after MBS, 96.7% advised stopping fasting in the presence of persistent symptoms of intolerance. Seventy percent of the experts recommended delaying fasting after MBS for 6 to 12 months after combined and malabsorptive procedures according to the patient's situation and surgeon's experience, and 90.1% felt that proton pump inhibitors should be continued in patients who start fasting less than 6 months after MBS. There was consensus that fasting may help in weight loss, improvement/remission of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, dyslipidemia, hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus among 88.5%, 90.2%, 88.5%, 85.2% and 85.2% of experts, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Experts voted and reached a consensus on 40 statements covering various aspects of fasting after MBS.

A116 ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NURSE NAVIGATOR ROLE IN AN IBD MEDICAL HOME: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Background

Patients living with chronic illnesses require long-term and often repeated interactions with the healthcare system. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an incurable, chronic gastrointestinal disease which frequently flares and remits. The nurse navigator (NN) serves as the point of first contact for IBD connecting patients with their multidisciplinary care team in order facilitate and expedite assessment, treatment and navigation through the healthcare system with the goal of improving disease-related outcomes while reducing healthcare system burden.

Aims

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of implementation of an IBD NN role within a multidisciplinary IBD Medical home on access to care, disease related outcomes, patient satisfaction with care, and healthcare resource use.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study comparing an IBD patient population that had access to a 24/7 NN-led helpline to a reference population who did not have access to such a service. Data between August 2017 and October 2019 were extracted from patient charts. Distribution of number of flares and time to clinical assessment between the NN exposed cohort and a non-NN exposed cohort are planned using multivariate analysis. This is a preliminary description of the NN-exposed cohort only.

Results

Preliminary results identified a total of 643 patients in the NN-exposed cohort. The majority of our NN-exposed population were female (64.3%). The mean age was 46.42 ± 16.86 years. Sixty-five percent of patients had CD, 33% UC and 2% IBDU. Of the 729 calls extracted, care coordination (39%) was the most frequent indication for calls followed by flare (25%), and medication education (16%). Patients made the majority (52.8%) of calls compared to NN initiated calls (47.2%). The mean number of calls per patient was 2.64 ± 2.51 (range 1–18) during the study period. Time to clinic assessment post flare call was on average 10.22 ± 8.51 days.

Conclusions

These results are descriptive of the NN-exposed cohort. Data comparing outcomes amongst the NN-exposed cohort to the non-exposed cohort will be presented at CDDW.

Funding Agencies

None

Bariatric re-operations: are they preventable?

BACKGROUND

Many operations are currently used for morbid obesity, and every procedure appears to have advantages, drawbacks and failures. Re-operation is a part of bariatric surgery practice that is necessary in the event of failure. We analyzed the reasons for failure in the bariatric re-operation group.

METHODS

From June 1998 to April 2000, 17 morbidly obese patients had a bariatric re-operation. Of 203 bariatric operations performed in our institution, 12 patients had a re-operation (5.9%), and 5 patients had their primary procedure performed elsewhere. Mean age was 36.5 +/- 11 years, mean original weight 151.3 +/- 44.3 kg, mean BMI 58.4 +/- 16.9 kg/m2 and mean excess body weight (EBW) 94.4 +/- 43.5 kg. Mean height was 161 +/- 7.7 cm, and 15 patients were female (88.2%). The primary bariatric operation was vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) in 15 patients (88.2%), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) in 1 patient (5.9%), and gastric banding in 1 patient (5.9%). Duration since the primary surgery was a mean of 15.6 months (range 1-72 months).

RESULTS

Reasons for re-operation were inadequate weight loss (47%) or food intolerance (53%). 11 patients had VBG converted to RYGBP, 1 patient had a gastric banding converted to a BPD, 4 patients had their VBG converted to a gastro-gastrostomy, and 1 patient had a RYGBP staple dehiscence re-stapled.

CONCLUSION

Incidence of bariatric re-operations may be decreased if super-obese patients, older patients, and sweets-consuming individuals undergo RYGBP or BPD as the primary operation rather than VBG or gastric banding. The use of staplers transecting and separating the gastric pouch from the remaining stomach can decrease staple dehiscence.

Gastric restrictive procedures through a mini-incision: a cost-effective alternative to laparoscopic bariatric surgery in Egypt

BACKGROUND

Gastric restrictive procedures such as vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and gastric banding have become the standard in morbid obesity surgery. Surgeons have started to perform these procedures through the laparoscope to give the patient the advantages of smaller incisions, less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay, and earlier return to work. These laparoscopic procedures have not gained popularity in Egypt because they are more expensive and require longer operating times than open surgery. Instead, we have refined our open surgery technique into a method that gives most of the laparoscopic advantages and yet retains all of the open surgery advantages, i.e., performance of the open procedure through a 7- to 8-cm incision.

METHODS

From September 1997 to July 1999, 25 morbidly obese patients underwent gastric restrictive procedures through mini-incisions with a follow-up period of < or =22 months. Twenty-one patients underwent VBG, and 4 patients underwent RYGB. Ninety-two percent of these patients were female, with a mean age of 28.8 years, a mean weight of 117 kg, and a mean body mass index of 45.7 kg/m2.

RESULTS

The operative time was a mean of 56 minutes for the gastroplasty group and a mean of 116 minutes for the bypass group. The mean hospital stay was 3.3 days. Patients returned to normal activity within 15.6 days. Wound infections developed in 3 patients (12%) and incisional hernias in 2 (8%). The total expense of the procedure was one-third to one-half that of the laparoscopic procedure.

CONCLUSION

If cost prevents the wide use of laparoscopic procedures for morbid obesity, performing open procedures through a miniincision is an alternative approach.