Gastric leak after sleeve gastrectomy can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to examine the safety and efficacy of endoscopic deployment of a covered esophageal stent in the management of leaks after sleeve gastrectomy. Three consecutive patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy at outside institutions presented with leaks. All three patients underwent endoscopic placement of a covered stent. Additional procedures included laparoscopic or percutaneous drainage of abdominal collection(s). The patients were two women and one man, with a mean age of 34 years. One patient presented acutely at day 7 after the index operation and two patients presented late at 6 and 9 months, respectively. Two patients had proximal gastric leaks and one patient had a proximal gastric leak with a concomitant obstruction at the mid-aspect of the gastric sleeve. Endoscopic deployment of a covered stent was successful in all cases. There were no complications relating to the stent placement. The stent was removed at 6 weeks in two patients and at 4 months in one patient. The use of endoscopic stent was a safe and effective option in the management of leaks after sleeve gastrectomy.
Dexmedetomidine (Precedex, Hospira, Lake Forest, IL) is an alpha-2 receptor agonist with sedative and analgesic sparing properties. This medication has not been associated with respiratory suppression, despite occasionally high levels of sedation. For 10 months, all patients undergoing a laparoscopic bariatric procedure received a dexmedetomidine infusion 30 min before the anticipated completion of the procedure (n = 34). A control group was comprised of a similar number of patients to have had laparoscopic bariatric surgery in the time period immediately before these 10 months (n = 37). All pathways and discharge criteria were identical for patients in each group. A total of 73 patients were included in this retrospective chart review. Two gastric bypass patients were excluded for complications requiring additional surgery (one bleed and one leak). Gastric bypass patients who received a dexmedetomidine infusion required fewer narcotics (66 vs 130 mg of morphine equivalents) than control patients and met discharge criteria on post-op day (POD) 1 more often (61% discharged POD 1 vs 26% discharged POD 1, p = 0.02). Vital signs and pain scores were similar in all groups. Dexmedetomidine infusion perioperatively is safe and may help to minimize narcotic requirements and decrease duration of stay after laparoscopic bariatric procedures. This may have important patient safety ramifications in a patient population with a high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea. A well-organized prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial is necessary to confirm the benefits of dexmedetomidine suggested by this study.
Pyloroplasty is performed during esophagectomy to avoid delayed gastric emptying. However, studies have shown that gastric function is minimally impaired even without a pyloroplasty when a gastric tube rather than the whole stomach is used for reconstruction. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes of minimally invasive esophagectomy without performance of a pyloroplasty. We performed a retrospective review of 145 patients who underwent a minimally invasive esophagectomy. The 30-day mortality was 2.1 per cent with an in-hospital mortality of 3.4 per cent. Of the 140 patients with more than 90 days follow-up, 31 patients had a pyloroplasty and 109 patients did not. One (3.2%) of 31 patients with pyloroplasty versus six (5.5%) of 109 patients without pyloroplasty developed delayed gastric emptying. There was no significant difference in the leak rate between the two groups (9.7% vs 9.6%, respectively). Total operative time was significantly shorter in the group without pyloroplasty (360 vs 222 minutes with a pyloroplasty, P < 0.01). Patients with delayed gastric emptying responded well to endoscopic pyloric dilation or Botox injection. The routine performance of a pyloroplasty during minimally invasive esophagectomy can be safely omitted with a reduction in operative time and minimal adverse effects on postoperative gastric function.
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