Introduction
One anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) is an effective and safe treatment for morbidly obese patients. Longer biliopancreatic (BP) limb length is suggested to result in better weight loss ...outcomes, but to date, no data are available for the OAGB to substantiate this. We hypothesized that applying a longer BP-limb length in the higher BMI classes would result in more weight reduction so that the attained BMI would be comparable to patients with a lower BMI, thereby compensating for differences in baseline BMI.
Method
A retrospective cohort study in patients who underwent a primary OAGB at a teaching hospital in the Netherlands between January 2015 and December 2016. BP-limb length was tailored based on preoperative BMI. Patients were divided into three different groups depending on the length of the BP-limb: 150, 180, and 200 cm. Weight loss outcomes after 1 and 3 years and resolution of comorbidities were compared between these groups.
Results
Of the 632 included patients, a BP-limb length of 150 cm was used in 172 (27.2%), 180 cm in 388 (61.4%), and 200 cm in 72 (11.4%) patients. Despite more BMI loss, %EWL was lower and attained BMI remained higher in the groups with longer BP-limb lengths. After adjustment for the confounder preoperative BMI, longer BP-limb lengths were not associated with higher BMI loss. There was no difference in remission rates of comorbidities.
Conclusion
Attained BMI remained higher in spite of tailoring BP-limb length according to baseline BMI with no differences in remission rates of comorbidities.
Graphical Abstract
Abstract
Background
The one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) is being performed by an increasing number of bariatric centers over the world. However, the optimal length of the biliopancreatic (BP) ...limb remains a topic of discussion. Retrospective studies suggest the benefit of tailoring BP-limb length; however, randomized trials are lacking. The aim of this study is to investigate whether tailoring the length of the BP-limb based on total small bowel length (TSBL) leads to better results in terms of weight loss, vitamin deficiencies, and bowel movements compared to a fixed BP-limb length.
Methods
The TAILOR study is a double-blind single-center randomized controlled trial. Patients scheduled for primary OAGB surgery will be randomly allocated either to a standard BP-limb of 150 cm or to a BP-limb length based on their TSBL: TSBL < 500 cm, BP-limb 150 cm; TSBL 500–700 cm, BP-limb 180 cm; TSBL > 700 cm, BP-limb 210 cm. The primary outcome is to compare the percent total weight loss (%TWL) at 5 years between the two groups. Secondary outcomes include nutritional deficiencies, remission of comorbidities, symptoms of dumping, quality of life, and daily bowel movements. The study includes a total of 212 patients and is designed to detect a 5% difference in the primary endpoint.
Discussion
The TAILOR study will provide new insights into the effect of different BP-limb lengths and the role of the TSBL in the OAGB. The study is designed to provide guidance for bariatric surgeons to determine the optimal BP-limb length in the OAGB.
Trial registration
Dutch Trial Register NL7945. Prospectively registered on 08 September 2019.
NTR (trialregister.nl
)
Introduction
Tailoring limb length in bariatric surgery is a subject of many studies. To acquire the optimal limb length, accurate measurement of the small bowel length is essential.
Objective
To ...assess the intra- and inter-individual variability of laparoscopic bowel length measurement using a hand-over-hand technique with marked graspers.
Method
Four bariatric surgeons and four surgical residents performed measurements on cadaver porcine intestine in a laparoscopic box using marked graspers. Each participant performed 10 times a measurement of three different lengths: 150, 180, and 210 cm. Acceptable percentage deviation from the goal lengths was defined as less than 10%, while unacceptable deviations were defined as more than 15%.
Results
The bariatric surgeons measured the 150-, 180-, and 210-cm tasks with 4% (
CI
0.4, 9), − 6% (
CI
− 11, − 0.8), and 1% (
CI
− 4, 6) deviation, respectively. In total, the bariatric surgeons estimated 58 out of 119 times (49%) between the margins of 10% deviation and 36 times (30%) outside the 15% margin. Considerable inter-individual differences were found between the surgeons. The surgical residents underestimated the tasks with 12% (
CI
− 18, − 6), 16% (
CI
− 19, − 13), and 18% (
CI
− 22, − 13), respectively.
Conclusion
Bariatric surgeons estimated bowel length with on average less than 10% deviation. However, this still resulted in 30% of the measurements with more than 15% deviation. There were considerable inter-individual differences between the surgeons and residents structurally underestimated the bowel length. Ascertainment of measurement accuracy and adequate training is essential for bariatric procedures in which limb length is of importance.
Graphical abstract
Introduction
The one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) is an effective treatment to induce sustained weight loss in morbidly obese patients. Concerns remain regarding the development of reflux. The ...aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an “anti-reflux suture” as anti-reflux modification to prevent reflux.
Method
This is a single-center retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent a primary OAGB at the Center Obesity North-Netherlands (CON) between January 2015 and December 2016. Reflux was defined as symptoms of acid/bilious regurgitation or pyrosis. This was consequently asked and reported at each follow-up visit. Outcomes of patients with an anti-reflux suture were compared to those without.
Results
In 414 (59%) of the 703 included patients, an anti-reflux suture was applied. Follow-up at 3 years was 74%. The incidence of reflux did not differ between patients with or without an anti-reflux suture (57 versus 56%, respectively;
P
= 0.9). The presence of an anti-reflux suture was significantly associated with a lower incidence of conversion to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) for reflux (OR 0.56, 95%CI 0.34–0.91). Patients preoperatively diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were 5.2 times more likely to need a conversion to RYGB for reflux (95%CI 2.7–10.1).
Conclusion
The presence of preoperative GERD should be weighted heavily in the decision to perform an OAGB as this is a major risk factor for conversion surgery due to reflux. The anti-reflux suture might be a valuable addition to the procedure of the OAGB because it results in fewer conversion surgeries for reflux.
Purpose
Bariatric procedures are technically complex and skill demanding. In order to standardize the procedures for research and training, a Delphi analysis was performed to reach consensus on the ...practice of the laparoscopic gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy in the Netherlands.
Methods
After a pre-round identifying all possible steps from literature and expert opinion within our study group, questionnaires were send to 68 registered Dutch bariatric surgeons, with 73 steps for bypass surgery and 51 steps for sleeve gastrectomy. Statistical analysis was performed to identify steps with and without consensus. This process was repeated to reach consensus of all necessary steps.
Results
Thirty-eight participants (56%) responded in the first round and 32 participants (47%) in the second round. After the first Delphi round, 19 steps for gastric bypass (26%) and 14 for sleeve gastrectomy (27%) gained full consensus. After the second round, an additional amount of 10 and 12 sub-steps was confirmed as key steps, respectively.
Thirteen steps in the gastric bypass and seven in the gastric sleeve were deemed advisable. Our expert panel showed a high level of consensus expressed in a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.82 for the gastric bypass and 0.87 for the sleeve gastrectomy.
Conclusions
The Delphi consensus defined 29 steps for gastric bypass and 26 for sleeve gastrectomy as being crucial for correct performance of these procedures to the standards of our expert panel. These results offer a clear framework for the technical execution of these procedures.
Purpose
Feedback on technical and procedural skills is essential during the training of residents and fellows. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of a newly created instrument for ...the assessment of operative skills using laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) video fragments.
Materials and Methods
A new procedure-based assessment (PBA) was created by combining LRYGB key steps with a 5-point independence scale. LRYGB performed by residents and surgeons with different levels of expertise were video recorded. Fragments of the pouch creation, gastro-jejunostomy and jejunojejunostomy, were review by 12 expert bariatric surgeons and the operative skills assessed with the PBA,
Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill
(OSATS), and the Bariatric OSATS (BOSATS). The PBA was compared to the OSATS and BOSATS. Mean scores for all items of the different assessments were summarized and compared using a
T
-test.
Results
The scores of the procedural steps were combined and compared for all levels. The mean scores for beginner, intermediate, and expert level were 2.71, 3.70, and 3.90 for the PBA; for the OSATS 1.84, 2.86, and 3.44; and for the BOSATS 2.78, 3.56, and 4.19. Each of these assessments differentiated between the three skill levels (all
p
< 0.05).
Conclusion
The PBA discriminates well between different levels of operative skills. Similar patterns were found for the OSATS and BOSATS, showing that the randomly selected video fragments are representative samples for assessing skill level. Future research will demonstrate whether these results can be extrapolated to clinical training, and which scores allow for procedure certification.
Graphical Abstract
Determining limb length in gastric bypass procedures is a crucial step to ensure significant weight loss without risking malnutrition. This study investigated the effect of ex vivo training on the ...skills needed to determine limb lengths.
This was a single-center ex vivo training experiment in a teaching hospital in the Netherlands. We designed a training exercise with marked ropes in a laparoscopic trainer box. All ten surgical residents participated and practiced the skill of estimating limb length. Before and after the two-week period their results on a 150-centimeter limb length task were evaluated.
Before training, 10 surgical residents estimated 150 centimeters of small bowel with an absolute deviation of 21% range 9-30. After the training experiment, the residents measured with 8% 2-20 deviation (
= .17). The 8 residents who trained sufficiently improved statistically significantly to an absolute deviation of 5% 2-17 (
= .012). Over 70% of the participants felt their skills had improved.
With sufficient training, surgical residents' skills in measuring small bowel length improved when tested in an ex vivo model. Residents became more confident in their laparoscopic measurement skills. This ex vivo training model is a alternative and addition to on-site training.
Purpose
Surgical procedures for morbid obesity, including laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB), are considered standardized laparoscopic procedures. Our goal was to determine how bariatric ...surgery is trained in the Netherlands.
Materials and Methods
Questionnaires were sent to lead surgeons from all 19 bariatric centers in the Netherlands. At least two residents or fellows were surveyed for each center. Dutch residents are required to collect at least 20 electronic Objective Standard Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) observations per year, which include the level of supervision needed for specific procedures. Centers without resident accreditation were excluded.
Results
All 19 surgeons responded (100%). Answers from respondents who worked at teaching hospitals with residency accreditation (12/19, 63%) were analyzed. The average number of trained residents or fellows was 14 (range 3–33). Preferred procedures were LRYGB (
n
= 10), laparoscopic gastric sleeve (LGS) resection (
n
= 1), or no preference (
n
= 1). Three groups could be discerned for the order in which procedural steps were trained: unstructured, in order of increasing difficulty, or in order of chronology. Questionnaire response was 79% (19/24) for residents and 73% (8/11) for fellows. On average, residents started training in bariatric surgery in postgraduate year (PGY) 4 (range 0–5). The median number of bariatric procedures performed was 40 for residents (range 0–148) and 220 during fellowships (range 5–306).
Conclusions
Training in bariatric surgery differs considerably among centers. A structured program incorporating background knowledge, step-wise technical skills training, and life-long learning should enhance efficient training in bariatric teaching centers without affecting quality or patient safety.
Inflammatory bowel disease, vascular disease, volvulus, adhesions, or abdominal trauma may necessitate extensive small-bowel resection resulting in an ultra-short distal duodenal or jejunal stump. If ...this distal duodenal or short jejunal stump is too short for stoma creation and bowel continuity restoration is hazardous or not possible at all, a distal duodenogastrostomy or proximal jejunogastrostomy in combination with drainage of the stomach is an option to prevent stump leakage. Although successful, this distal duodenogastrostomy has been described only in very few patients and in older records. We reintroduced this technique and describe a recent series of patients that confirms its usefulness in certain conditions. The technique of the distal duodenogastrostomy or proximal jejunogastrostomy with gastric drainage was used for the management of the difficult distal duodenum stump in five critically ill patients undergoing extensive bowel resection. Four patients with small-bowel ischemia and one patient suffering from perforating Crohn’s disease and small-bowel volvulus were treated successfully. The gastrostomies were subsequently converted to a duodenotransversostomy (in two patients) or the patients underwent small-bowel transplantation (two patients). One patient still has a jejunogastrostomy just after the duodenal-jejunal transition. In all five patients, the distal duodenogastrostomy or proximal jejunogastrostomy in combination with gastric drainage functioned well up to restoration of bowel continuity. In one patient, distal duodenogastrostomy and transabdominal gastric drainage functioned well for 5 years. No anastomotic leakage occurred. This procedure provides a feasible solution for an ultra-short bowel at emergency laparotomy. It enhances the surgical armamentarium and provides treatment options for these patients that were perhaps previously deemed unsalvageable.
The gastric sleeve resection and gastric bypass are the 2 most commonly performed bariatric procedures. This article provides an overview of current teaching and learning methods of those techniques ...in resident and fellow training.
A database search was performed on Pubmed, Embase, and the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) to identify the methods used to provide training in bariatric surgery worldwide. After exclusion based on titles and abstracts, full texts of the selected articles were assessed. Included articles were reviewed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system.
In total, 2442 titles were identified and 14 full text articles met inclusion criteria. Four publications described an ex vivo training course, and 6 focused on at least 1 step of the gastric bypass procedure. Two randomized controlled trials (RCT) provided high-quality evidence on training aspects. Surgical coaching caused significant improvement of Bariatric Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (BOSATS) scores (3.60 vs. 3.90, p = 0.017) and reduction of technical errors (18 vs. 10, p = 0.003). A preoperative warm-up increased global rating scales (GRS) scores on depth perception (p = 0.02), bimanual dexterity (p = 0.01), and efficiency of movements (p = 0.03).
Stepwise education, surgical coaching, warming up, Internet-based knowledge modules, and ex vivo training courses are effective in relation to bariatric surgical training of residents and fellows, possibly shortening their learning curves.
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