Search

Excess body weight has been associated with worsening breast cancer survival. While bariatric surgery has been associated with less incident of breast cancer, the role that bariatric surgery plays after breast cancer diagnosis in terms of both feasibility and in preventing breast cancer recurrence is unclear. We report the outcomes of 13 individuals who underwent bariatric surgery after definitive breast cancer treatment at a single institution. Thirteen females diagnosed with breast cancer (69.2% stage I, 23.1% stage II) at a median age of 42 years received bariatric surgery between 2001 and 2017. The median age of bariatric surgery was 52 years. Of the 13 patients, 46.2% underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and 38.5% laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. The median time from breast cancer treatment to bariatric surgery was 3 years. The procedures were well tolerated. One female developed an abdominal wall hematoma. The average weight loss after 1 year and 2 years was 28.1% and 28.2%, respectively. There was a single breast cancer recurrence with a median follow-up of 11.7 years after breast cancer diagnosis and 5.3 years after bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery after breast cancer treatment is feasible and well tolerated. Prospective trials evaluating bariatric surgery in obese breast cancer survivors should be considered.

The ReCharge Trial demonstrated that a vagal blocking device (vBloc) is a safe and effective treatment for moderate to severe obesity. This report summarizes 24-month outcomes.Participants with body mass index (BMI) 40 to 45 kg/mAt 24 months, 123 (76 %) vBloc participants remained in the trial. Participants who presented at 24 months (n = 103) had a mean excess weight loss (EWL) of 21 % (8 % total weight loss [TWL]); 58 % of participants had ≥5 % TWL and 34 % had ≥10 % TWL. Among the subset of participants with abnormal preoperative values, significant improvements were observed in mean LDL (-16 mg/dL) and HDL cholesterol (+4 mg/dL), triglycerides (-46 mg/dL), HbA1c (-0.3 %), and systolic (-11 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressures (-10 mmHg). QOL measures were significantly improved. Heartburn/dyspepsia and implant site pain were the most frequently reported adverse events. The primary related serious adverse event rate was 4.3 %.vBloc therapy continues to result in medically meaningful weight loss with a favorable safety profile through 2 years.https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01327976.

Prevalence of obesity in Asia has been on the increasing trend, with corresponding increase in utilisation of bariatric surgery. The objective of this study was to examine differences in weight loss outcomes following bariatric surgery between Asian ethnicities. A retrospective database review was conducted of patients undergoing primary laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy between 2009 and 2013 in 14 centres from Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Switzerland, and the USA. All patients with available follow-up data at 12 months and 36 months post-surgery were included in this study. Outcome measures used were percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) and percentage total weight loss (%TWL). Differences in outcomes between ethnicities were analysed after adjusting for age, gender, baseline body mass index (BMI), and presence of diabetes. The study population (n = 2150) consisted of 1122 Chinese, 187 Malays, 309 Indians, 67 Japanese, 259 Koreans, and 206 Caucasians. 67.1% were female and 32.9% were male. Mean age was 37.1 ± 11.2 years. Mean pre-operative BMI was 40.7 ± 8.1 kg/m2. With the Caucasian population as reference, Japanese had the best %TWL (3.90, 95% CI 1.16–6.63, p

Traditionally, restoration of normal bowel continuity after resection and bypass of a diseased or obstructed gastrointestinal tract can only be achieved through surgery, which can be technically challenging and comes with a risk of adverse events. Here, we describe our institutions’ experience with endoscopic-guided gastroenterostomy or enteroenterostomy with lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) from March 2015 to August 2016. Ten patients had gastrogastrostomy (gastric pouch to gastric remnant) and three patients had jejunogastrostomy (Roux limb to gastric remnant) for the reversal of Roux-en-Y bariatric surgery. One patient had gastroduodenostomy (stomach to duodenal bulb) post antrectomy and one patient had jejunojejunostomy for distal obstruction following Roux-en-Y reconstruction. Technical and clinical success were achieved in all patients, save for delayed anastomotic stenosis following stent removal in one patient, with a mean follow-up of 126 days (3–318 days) with minimal complications in two patients. Endoscopic gastrointestinal anastomosis therefore may be a safe and feasible technique to re-establish continuity of the digestive system following bypass in the short-term.

This study aims to quantify changes in fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) and bile acids (BAs) in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes randomized to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) vs intensive medical management (IMM) and matched for similar reduction in HbA1c after 1 year of treatment.Blood samples were drawn from patients who underwent a test meal challenge before and 1 year after IMM (n = 15) or RYGB (n = 15).Mean HbA1c decreased from 9.7 to 6.4% after RYGB and from 9.1 to 6.1% in the IMM group. At 12 months, the number of diabetes medications used per subject in the RYGB group (2.5 ± 0.5) was less than in the IMM group (4.6 ± 0.3). After RYGB, FGF19 increased in the fasted (93 ± 15 to 152 ± 19 pg/ml; P = 0.008) and postprandial states (area under the curve (AUC), 10.8 ± 1.9 to 23.4 ± 4.1 pg × h/ml × 10(3); P = 0.006) but remained unchanged following IMM. BAs increased after RYGB (AUC ×10(3), 6.63 ± 1.3 to 15.16 ± 2.56 μM × h; P = 0.003) and decreased after IMM (AUC ×10(3), 8.22 ± 1.24 to 5.70 ± 0.70; P = 0.01). No changes were observed in the ratio of 12α-hydroxylated/non-12α-hyroxylated BAs. Following RYGB, FGF19 AUC correlated with BAs (r = 0.54, P = 0.04) and trended negatively with HbA1c (r = -0.44; P = 0.09); these associations were not observed after IMM.BA and FGF19 levels increased after RYGB but not after IMM in subjects who achieved similar improvement in glycemic control. Further studies are necessary to determine whether these hormonal changes facilitate improved glucose homeostasis.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in adipose tissue has been implicated as a pathogenic step in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In adipose tissue, chronic nutrient overload results in mitochondria driven increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to carbonylation of proteins that impair mitochondrial function and downregulation of key genes linked to mitochondrial biogenesis. In patients with T2DM, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery leads to improvements in glycemic profile prior to significant weight loss. Consequently, we hypothesized that improved glycemia early after RYGB would be paralleled by decreased protein carbonylation and increased expression of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis in adipose tissue.To evaluate this hypothesis, 16 obese individuals were studied before and 7-8 days following RYGB and adjustable gastric banding (AGB). Subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained pre- and post-bariatric surgery as well as from eight healthy, non-obese individual controls.Prior to surgery, adipose tissue expression of PGC1α, NRF1, Cyt C, and eNOS (but not Tfam) showed significantly lower expression in the obese bariatric surgery group when compared to lean controls (p0.05). Following RYGB, but not after AGB, patients showed significant decrease in HOMA-IR, reduction in adipose protein carbonylation, and increased expression of genes linked to mitochondrial biogenesis.These results suggest that rapid reduction in protein carbonylation and increased mitochondrial biogenesis may explain postoperative metabolic improvements following RYGB.

Bariatric surgery is widely accepted as the best treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and the sleeve gastrectomy (SG) have become the predominant bariatric procedures in the USA over the last several years, although the most recent trends in selection are unknown. The objective of this study is to assess selection trends, readmission rates, and cost of bariatric procedures in the USA from 2012 to 2015. We used the Premier database from 2012 to 2015 to examine trends in incidence of RYGB, adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), and SG; readmissions; and cost. Multivariate regression was performed to identify predictors of readmission. The proportion of SG went up from 38 to 63% while the RYGB decreased from 44 to 30% over this time period. LAGB has decreased in use from 13 to 2%. In comparison to RYGB, readmission was less likely for SG (OR 0.64), males (OR 0.91), and more likely for black race (OR 1.27). The overall proportion of patients seeking RYGB with type 2 diabetes was higher than with SG (36 versus 25%), but SG has now overtaken RYGB as the most common procedure among diabetics. The SG is less costly than RYGB ($11,183 versus $13,485). There is a continued overall trend in the increased popularity of the SG and decreased utilization of the RYGB and LAGB, although growth of the SG appears to be slowing. This is also true among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Regardless of surgery type, underinsured and African-American race were more likely to be readmitted.

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is thought to be a cause of chronic abdominal pain post Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and current practice of performing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with or without sphincterotomy is not supported by evidence. In addition to the complexity and risks of the procedure in patients with Roux-en-Y anatomy, the outcomes are uncertain and debatable. We performed a retrospective review and analysis of post-gastric bypass patients who had undergone ERCP with sphincterotomy to determine the effectiveness in patients with suspected SOD. Over a period of 5 years at the University of Minnesota, we retrospectively reviewed a prospectively collected database of a cohort of patients whom had a previous Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and whom had a subsequent ERCP for suspected SOD. Patients were categorized by modified Milwaukee classification, and outcomes were evaluated by patients’ self-reporting of symptoms at follow-up. We identified 50 patients who underwent laparoscopic-assisted gastrostomy for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography post Roux-en-Y gastric bypass over the study period. Within this group, 35 patients (70%) were suspected to have SOD. Nine patients (25.7%) were classified as type I, 19 patients (54.3%) type II, and seven patients (20%) type III. Thirty-four patients (97.1%) had biliary sphincterotomy, and 17 patients (48.6%) had both biliary and pancreatic sphincterotomy. Fourteen (40%) had repeated ERCP. At median follow-up of 11.5 months, type I SOD had two responders (25%), type II had nine responders (52.9%), and type III had one responder (14.3%). A subgroup analysis did not show significant differences in improvement of symptoms between patients whom had single versus repeated ERCP or biliary sphincterotomy alone versus both biliary and pancreatic sphincterotomy. Three patients (9%) had post-ERCP pancreatitis. SOD in patients post Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is complex due to multiple confounding factors. Rome III and Milwaukee classification systems assist us in the diagnosis and treatment of sphincter dysfunction until we have a better way to predict treatment response post sphincterotomy. Current treatment is based on the type of disorder and anatomy of biliary ducts. Types I and II sphincter dysfunction particularly associated with dilated biliary duct on imaging have the best response to endoscopic sphincterotomy and therefore should be considered taking into account the risks and benefit. Repeated sphincterotomy and concurrent pancreatic sphincterotomy is generally not useful.

Large-scale randomized clinical trials are needed to assess the role of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in treating patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recruitment challenges must be understood.One hundred twenty participants were needed for a prospective randomized controlled trial investigating treatments for hyperglycemia and cardiovascular disease risk factors in patients with T2DM. The trial had two arms-intensive medical management plus a rigorous lifestyle intervention (LS/IMM) versus LS/IMM with RYGB. Medical inclusion criteria included glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥ 8.0 % while under the care of a physician and body mass index (BMI) 30.0-39.9 kg/m(2). Another inclusion criterion was expressed willingness to accept randomization and participate fully. Varied recruitment strategies were employed at four academic hospitals in the USA and Taiwan, including referrals, mass media, direct mail to patients drawn from a practice-based database, and direct mail to commercial mailing lists.Between February 2008 and December 2011, 2,648 candidates were phone-screened and 240 were screened on site; 120 participants were eventually randomized. Impediments included stringent medical inclusion criteria and a lack of equipoise (i.e., strong beliefs or preferences) among patients and their personal community-based physicians. To meet timeline requirements, the upper limit for BMI was increased from 34.9 to 39.9 kg/m(2) and an additional site was added.We successfully recruited 120 participants with poorly controlled T2DM and mild to moderate obesity. Participants had to be willing to accept randomization to either surgical or nonsurgical treatments. Recruitment took 4 years.

Background The purpose of this study is to compare effects of different nations on Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) vs. intensive medical management (IMM) in achieving remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods Between April 2008 and December 2011, this randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted at four teaching hospitals in the United States and Taiwan involving 71 participants with mild obesity (BMI 30–35 kg/m2). Thirty-six of 71 participants were randomly assigned to the RYGB group, and the others were in IMM group. Partial or complete remission of T2DM was defined as blood HbA1c

Although vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) is no longer performed in the USA, due to its popularity in 1980s, many patients still possess this anatomy with its inherent complications. The stomal stenosis secondary to tight ring or mesh is traditionally treated with surgical removal of the silastic ring or a complex revision, which was hampered by complications, technical complexity, and invasiveness. We described our experience of endoscopic management of this complex problem and the early outcomes. Retrospective study. Tertiary care center. Thirteen consecutive patients with gastric outlet obstruction who underwent endoscopic intervention after vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG). Endoscopic removal of silastic ring with self-expanding metal stent or endoscopic guided trans-gastric stapled stricturoplasty (TSS). Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of endoscopic approaches. Technical and clinical success in 11 patients (85 %) on first endoscopic attempt. Stent migrated in one patient, and another patient required second endoscopic intervention for recurring symptoms. Retrospective analysis, single-institution study, and small sample size. Endoscopic approach to gastric outlet obstruction secondary to VBG regardless of type of restrictive device is safe and feasible with possible short-term benefit. This technique may also be use as bridge toward future revision surgery.

As the popularity of bariatric surgery to treat morbid obesity has risen, so has a concern of increased skeletal fragility secondary to accelerated bone loss following bariatric procedures. We reviewed cross-sectional and prospective literature reporting bone density outcomes following bariatric surgical treatment for morbid obesity. Prospective research provides evidence of hip and lumbar spine areal bone mineral density (aBMD) reductions primarily in women despite calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Femoral neck aBMD declines of 9-11% and lumbar spine aBMD reductions up to 8% were observed at the first post-operative year following malabsorptive procedures. Mean T- and Z-scores up to 25 years following surgery remained within normal and healthy ranges. Of those studies reporting development of osteoporosis following gastric bypass, one woman became osteoporotic after 1 year. Despite observed bone loss in the hip region post-surgery, data do not conclusively support increased incidence of osteoporosis or increased fracture risk in post-bariatric patients. However, given the limitations of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry technology in this population and the relative lack of long-term prospective studies that include control populations, further research is needed to provide conclusive evidence regarding fracture outcomes in this population.

There are limited data quantifying national trends, post-operative readmissions, and revisional surgeries for bariatric procedures. We hypothesized that there is a trend away from Roux en Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and laparoscopic adjustable gastric bands (LAGB) in favor of vertical sleeve gastrectomies (VSG). We hypothesized that VSG was associated with fewer revisions and readmissions, and that demographics and comorbidities were associated with surgery received. We used the US-based Premier database, 2008–2013 and 2014 first and second quarters to The proportion of VSG increased from 3.0 to 54 % from 2008 to 2014. RYGB decreased from 52 % in 2008 to 32 % by 2014. Earlier year, female sex, white race, western (versus southern) region, and Medicaid predicted receipt of RYGB. Later year, male sex, nonwhite race, northeast or western (versus southern) regions, and insurance type predicted VSG. Readmission was less likely for VSG (OR 0.72, 95 % CI 0.65–0.81), male sex (OR 0.83, 95 % CI 0.72–0.95), and more likely for black race (OR Black vs White 1.2, 95 % CI 1.1–1.4). Discharge year strongly predicted surgery type. Females, whites, and Medicaid recipients received RYGB more than referents. Conversely, males, non-whites, and insured patients were more likely to receive VSG. Underinsured, regardless of surgery type, were more likely to be readmitted. These findings have important implications for health policy and cost-containment strategies.

Background: Combined gastric bypass and cholecystectomy have been advocated for open bariatric procedures. Our goal was to evaluate the safety of this technique in laparoscopic bariatric surgery patients with gallstones diagnosed preoperatively. Methods: 94 out of 556 consecutive morbidly obese patients (16.9%) underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass with simultaneous cholecystectomy (LGBP/LC) for cholelithiasis. Results: 328 patients (59%) had a concomitant secondary procedure, most commonly cholecystectomy (28.7%). Preoperative BMI was 48.6±6.9 kg/m2 for LGBP/LC patients and 48.8±7.3 kg/m2 (P=0.85) for LGBP alone. 5 patients had preoperative biliary colic; the others were asymptomatic for cholelithiasis. Postoperatively, at a mean follow-up of 7.6±6.7 months, the percent excess weight loss (%EWL) was 46.1±0.25 for the combined procedure vs 50.2±63.0 (P=0.55) for LGBP alone. There were no conversions to open procedures for the LC. Port placement for the LGBP was not altered for LC. None required intraoperative cholangiography. Operative time for the combined procedure was 293.4±79.8 minutes vs 244.8±77.2 minutes for LGBP alone (P

There is an increasing concern that bariatric surgery results in excessive bone loss as demonstrated by studies that use areal bone mineral density (aBMD) outcomes by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Thus, we explored the effect of bariatric surgery on bone mechanical strength.Bone strength and body composition outcomes were measured in 21 adults (age 45.3 years; BMI 45.7 kg/m(2)) at baseline (pre-surgery) and 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgery. Bone geometry, density and strength were assessed by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) at the distal (4 %) sites of the radius and tibia and at the midshaft sites of the tibia (66 %) and radius (50 %). Participants were divided into tertiles (high, medium, and low) of percentage weight loss at 6 months post-surgery.Participants in all three tertiles lost significant body weight by 6 months post-surgery (mean loss -5 to -30 %, all p 0.05). At 6 months, all tertiles lost significant fat mass (-9 to -51 %, all p 0.05), but only the high tertile lost significant fat-free mass (-8 %, p 0.05). Despite a slight increase in tibia bone strength (SSIp) at 3 months (+1.1 %, p 0.05), estimates of bone strength at the radius and tibia sites did not change at later post-surgical time points regardless of weight loss.Contrary to DXA-based aBMD outcomes in the current literature, these results suggest that bone strength was preserved up to 12 months following bariatric surgery. Future longer-term studies exploring bone strength and geometry are needed to confirm these findings.

Enteral feedings are the preferred route of nutritional support for malnourished or critically ill patients. Recent progress in flexible endoscopic and interventional radiological techniques has allowed adaptation of numerous new procedures. Anatomic and functional rearrangement of the gastrointestinal tract often precludes traditional percutaneus endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement. Insertion of a gastroscope through the nose, via open pharynx, or neck fistula have been described, but there are no reports in the English literature describing introduction of the gastroscope through a dilated gastro-gastric fistula in a patient with previous open Roux en Y gastric bypass.

Post-gastric bypass hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia causing confusion and loss of consciousness was recently described, and appears to be an important late complication of gastric bypass surgery.We report 3 additional patients with this disorder, and describe their responses to high and low carbohydrate test meals. The patients were 1 woman and 2 men ranging in age from 50 to 65 years who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) for morbid obesity. 15 to 37 months after surgery, they started to have episodes of postprandial confusion and loss of consciousness. When given high carbohydrate mixed meals, all 3 demonstrated peak plasma glucose >200 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l) and peak serum insulin >300 μU/l (1800 pmol/l). Although serum insulin declined rapidly, all 3 developed hypoglycemia with plasma glucose

Hiatal hernia (HH) repairs are commonly done concomitantly with laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) to decrease gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). There is limited evidence about the additional surgical risk these combined procedures engender. We used the United States Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2004–2009 to compare mortality risk, prolonged length of stay (PLOS), and perioperative adverse events using propensity score-matched analysis. We repeated the analysis after removing patients diagnosed with GERD. There were 42,272 weighted patients undergoing LRYGB alone representing 206,559 discharges nationally and an additional 1,945 and 9,060, respectively, undergoing LRYGB + HH repair. For LAGB, there were 10,558 records representing 52,901 LAGB-only discharges and 1,959 representing 9,893 LAGB + HH repair discharges. Thirty-eight percent (95 % CI: 36, 41 %) of the patients in the LRYGB-only group had GERD compared to 55 % (51, 59 %) in the LRYGB + HH repair group. Among the LAGB groups, 31 % (28, 34 %) of LAGB-only patients had GERD compared to 44 % (38, 49 %) in the LAGB + HH repair group. We find that the average treatment effect on the treated (considering the concomitant procedure as treatment and the single procedure as control) for PLOS was −0.12353 (−0.15909, −0.08797) between the LRYGB groups and −0.04353 (−0.07488, −0.01217) for the LAGB groups. We find no evidence of increased risk of perioperative adverse events among patients undergoing concomitant HH repair with LRYGB or LAGB. Patients undergoing the combined procedure appear to be at lower risk of PLOS; this may be due to surgical training norms.

We hypothesized that patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) with concomitant cholecystectomy (RYGB + C) would be at greater risk for adverse events compared to patients undergoing RYGB alone. Patients who underwent a RYGB were identified in the 2005–2009 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database. Multivariate logistic regression with adjustment for confounding variables was utilized to identify risk factors for mortality at 30 days, major adverse events, and prolonged length of stay (PLOS). We identified 32,946 patients who underwent RYGB; of these, 1,731 (5.2 %) underwent RYGB + C. Overall, RYGB + C was a risk factor for predicting major adverse events following laparoscopic but not open procedures. Regardless of approach, PLOS was more common among RYGB + C patients following adjustment. Overall mortality at 30 days was low and did not vary with concomitant cholecystectomy following adjustment. The risk for major adverse events is significantly greater for RYGB + C patients following laparoscopic procedures, and the risk for PLOS is greater for RYGB + C patients following both open and laparoscopic procedures. The short-term risks identified in this study can assist in decision-making when considering concomitant cholecystectomy at the time of RYGB.

Intermittent, reversible intraabdominal vagal blockade (VBLOC® Therapy) demonstrated clinically important weight loss in feasibility trials. EMPOWER, a randomized, double-blind, prospective, controlled trial was conducted in USA and Australia. Five hundred three subjects were enrolled at 15 centers. After informed consent, 294 subjects were implanted with the vagal blocking system and randomized to the treated (n = 192) or control (n = 102) group. Main outcome measures were percent excess weight loss (percent EWL) at 12 months and serious adverse events. Subjects controlled duration of therapy using an external power source; therapy involved a programmed algorithm of electrical energy delivered to the subdiaphragmatic vagal nerves to inhibit afferent/efferent vagal transmission. Devices in both groups performed regular, low-energy safety checks. Data are mean ± SEM. Study subjects consisted of 90 % females, body mass index of 41 ± 1 kg/m2, and age of 46 ± 1 years. Device-related complications occurred in 3 % of subjects. There was no mortality. 12-month percent EWL was 17 ± 2 % for the treated and 16 ± 2 % for the control group. Weight loss was related linearly to hours of device use; treated and controls with ≥12 h/day use achieved 30 ± 4 and 22 ± 8 % EWL, respectively. VBLOC® therapy to treat morbid obesity was safe, but weight loss was not greater in treated compared to controls; clinically important weight loss, however, was related to hours of device use. Post-study analysis suggested that the system electrical safety checks (low charge delivered via the system for electrical impedance, safety, and diagnostic checks) may have contributed to weight loss in the control group.

The treatment goals recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus include hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C)

Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a recognized complication of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. Internal hernia (IH) a potential problem associated with RYGB, can have severe consequences if not diagnosed. We present two cases of SBO due to IH during pregnancy after laparoscopic RYGB (LRYGB). Both patients underwent an antecolic, antegastric LRYGB. In both patients a Petersen’s type IH was found. We reviewed the cases reported in the literature of SBO during pregnancy after RYGB. IH should always be ruled out in pregnant patients with previous RYGB and abdominal pain. Prompt surgical intervention is mandatory for a good outcome.

Although primary band placement is proven to be safe, gastric band placement after previous operations in the area of the gastroesophageal junction remains controversial. Erosion into the stomach has been described after failed vertical banded gastroplasty conversion to laparoscopic gastric banding (LAGB), but no reports in the English literature are available on erosion of an adjustable gastric band into the esophagus after conversion operations. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of distal esophageal erosion after LAGB placement with Nissen fundoplication takedown.

We report a novel technique for gastro-gastric fistula (GGF) repair. A 44-year-old woman was found to have a fistula between her gastric pouch and bypassed stomach 18 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) for morbid obesity. She underwent an attempted open surgical repair, which was complicated by postoperative abdominal sepsis. An upper gastrointestinal series, abdominal CT scan and upper endoscopy confirmed the diagnosis of failed surgery with recurrent GGF. Under endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance, two ports were inserted percutaneously into the stomach. The fistula was closed with a percutaneous, transgastric, totally extraperitoneal approach. She remains well 7 months after this intervention. This procedure appears to be a safe and effective minimally invasive approach for closure of GGF after RYGBP. This is the first description of an intragastric, percutaneous closure of a GGF after RYGBP in the medical literature. Further experience with this technique is needed to define the selection criteria, limitations, advantages, and disadvantages.