Sleeve Gastrectomy in a Patient With Celiac Disease and Thallesemia Minor Is Safe

Abstract

Celiac disease is a chronic small intestinal immune-mediated enteropathy precipitated by exposure to dietary gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. Classical celiac disease presents with signs and symptoms of mal absorption. The true prevalence of the disease is not known. Up to 13% of patients with celiac disease are overweight. Any abdominal surgery can trigger the disease in a previously normal patient or aggravate the disease. OBJECTIVE: To show that simpler bariatric procedures like sleeve gastrectomy can be performed safely in patients with celiac disease. METHODS: A 53 year old female, a known case of Type II Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, OSA on treatment & who was diagnosed to have thalassemia minor 24 years back and celiac disease 7 years back, having a BMI of 43.5 kg/m 2 & HbA1c of 7.3% underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. RESULTS: Patient has had 45 % excess weight loss at one year follow up with complete remission of diabetes (HbA1c of 5.4%), without any aggravation of celiac disease. CONCLUSION: Sleeve gastrectomy appears to be safe and well tolerated in patients with celiac disease.