Impact of major co-morbidities on mortality and complications after gastric bypass

BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that major co-morbidities affect survival and complications after gastric bypass. METHODS: A total of 1465 patients undergoing laparoscopic and open gastric bypass between 1995 and 2002 were studied. Patients with a body mass index >or= 35 kg/m(2) and major co-morbidities (group 1, n = 1045) were compared with patients with a body mass index >or= 40 kg/m(2) with minor/no co-morbidities (group 2, n = 420). RESULTS: Group 1 patients were older (43 versus 36 years, P < 0.001) and had a greater BMI (53 versus 50 kg/m(2), P < 0.001). Early postoperative complications were greater in group 1 than in group 2 and included leaks (4.1% versus 1.2%, P < 0.0032) and wound infections (3.9% versus 1.4%, P < 0.0133). Procedure-related mortality in the series was 1.7%. Mortality was 10-fold greater in group 1 (2.3% versus 0.2%, P < 0.0032). The incidence of small bowel obstruction, incisional hernia, and pulmonary embolism was similar in the two groups. Excess weight loss was significantly greater in group 2 (68% versus 62%, P < 0.001) at 1 year. Resolution of group 1 co-morbidities was great, including hypertension in 62%, diabetes in 75%, venous stasis disease in 96%, and pseudotumor cerebri in 98%. CONCLUSION: Outcomes analysis of obesity surgery requires risk stratification. The very low mortality rates in published studies are likely explained by surgical treatment of low-risk patients with minor co-morbidities, such as those seen in group 2. However, despite the increased perioperative risk, the group 1 patients (with major co-morbidities) demonstrated dramatic resolution of their co-morbid conditions, justifying the decision to go forward with surgery. The data support a radical change in treatment philosophy in which morbidly obese individuals should be offered bariatric surgery before major co-morbid conditions develop as a strategy to decrease the operative risk.     

主动脉内球囊反搏在低射血分数患者非体外循环冠状动脉旁路移植术中应用的必要性探讨

目的探讨对低射血分数患者施行非体外循环冠状动脉旁路移植术(off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, OPCAB)预防性应用主动脉内球囊反搏(intraaortic balloon pump, IABP)辅助的必要性. 方法 2001 年1 月～2004年10月对64例低射血分数(LVEF≤40%)施行OPCAB,将64例分为2组:术前或术中预防性应用IABP辅助者列为IABP组,共19例;未应用IABP者列为对照组,共45例. 结果 IABP组与对照组在术后并发症手术死亡、脑血管意外、肾功能衰竭衰血滤、围手术期心肌梗死等方面无显著差异(χ2=0.000,P=1.000).IABP组术后需要延长呼吸机带机时间(超过24 h)的比例显著高于对照组(IABP组8例,对照组3例; χ2=9.429,P=0.002);IABP组术后监护时间延长(超过48 h)的比例显著高于对照组(IABP组14例,对照组19例; χ2=4.110,P=0.043). 结论在无IABP辅助的情况下,为低射血分数患者实施OPCAB手术是可行的.     

Effects of gastric bypass procedures on bone mineral density,calcium, parathyroid hormone,and vitamin d

Weight loss after gastric bypass procedures has been well studied, but the long-term metabolic sequelae are not known. Data on bone mineral density (BMD), calcium, parathyroid hormone, and vitamin D were collected preoperatively and at yearly intervals after gastric bypass procedures. A total of 230 patients underwent preoperative BMD scans. Fifteen patients were osteopenic preoperatively, and three patients subsequently developed osteopenia postoperatively within the first year. No patient had or developed osteoporosis. At 1 year, total forearm BMD decreased by 0.55% (n = 91; P = .03) and radius BMD had increased overall by 1.85% (n = 23; P = .008); both total hip and lumbar spine BMD decreased by 9.27% (n = 22; P < .001) and 4.53% (n = 31; P < .001), respectively. By the second postoperative year, BMD in the total forearm had decreased an additional 3.62% (n = 14; P<.001), whereas radius BMD remained unchanged. Although total hip and lumbar spine BMD significantly decreased at 1 year, by year 2 both total hip and lumbar spine BMD only slightly decreased and were not significantly different from before the operation. Serum calcium decreased from 9.8 mg/dL to 9.2 during the first year (not significant [NS]) and then to 8.8 (NS) by the second year. Parathyroid hormone increased from 59.7 pg/mL (nl 10-65 pg/mL) preoperatively to 63.1 during year 1 (NS) and continued to increase to 64.7 by year 2 (NS). No difference was noted among levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D preoperatively (25.2 ng/mL; nl 10-65 ng/mL), at 1 year (34.4), and at 2 years (35.4). Our data indicate that bone loss is highest in the first year after gastric bypass with stabilization, and that, in some cases, there is an increase in bone density after the first year. Presented at the Forty-Sixth Annual Meeting of The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Chicago, Illinois, May 14–18, 2005 (oral presentation).     

How do family practitioners perceive surgery for the morbidly obese?

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the level of knowledge and comfort with bariatric surgery among family practice physicians. METHODS: Surveys were sent to all family practitioners in Connecticut querying the practice type and knowledge of bariatric surgery. The results were analyzed for the prevalence of opinion. RESULTS: Of 620 surveys sent out, 129 (21%) were completed. Of the 129 respondents, 73% were men, aged 31-79 years, and 92% were board certified, with an average of 19 years' experience. The average body mass index of respondents was 26 kg/m2 (range 16-40). Only 4% of respondents had a body mass index >30 kg/m2. Physicians reported a patient obesity rate of 43%. Of the 129 respondents, 88% believed obesity was difficult to control with diet and exercise alone. Only 6% thought obesity was best controlled surgically. Also, 85% of respondents had referred a patient for gastric bypass, although only 57% were comfortable explaining the procedure. The most common reason for refusal to refer was fear of complications and death. Additionally, 55% correctly listed a body mass index of 40 kg/m2 as qualifying for bariatric surgery without comorbidities; 48% identified the mortality rate of surgery as <1%, with 4% of respondents reporting >10%; and 84% were familiar with gastric bypass, 66% with LapBand, 33% with vertical banded gastroplasty, and 5% with duodenal switch. The respondents believed that nausea was the most common side effect, followed by anemia and fatigue. Finally, 53% believed bowel obstruction was common. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study have shown that misconceptions about bariatric surgery exist in the family practice community despite the increasing frequency of these procedures. Educational programs need to be designed to assist family practitioners in treating and referring obese patients.     

Metabolic Characterization of Nondiabetic Severely Obese Patients Undergoing Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: Preoperative Classification Predicts the Effects of Gastric Bypass on Insulin–Glucose Homeostasis

Introduction Obese individuals may have normal insulin–glucose homeostasis, insulin resistance, or diabetes mellitus. Whereas gastric bypass cures insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus, its effects on normal physiology have not been described. We studied insulin resistance and β-cell function for patients undergoing gastric bypass. Methods One hundred thirty-eight patients undergoing gastric bypass had fasting insulin and glucose levels drawn on days 0, 12, 40, 180, and 365. Thirty-one (22%) patients with diabetes mellitus were excluded from this analysis. Homeostatic model of assessment was used to estimate insulin resistance, insulin sensitivity, and β-cell function. Based on this model, patients were categorized as high insulin resistance if their insulin resistance was >2.3. Results Body mass index did not correlate with insulin resistance. Forty-seven (34%) patients were categorized as high insulin resistance. Correction of insulin resistance for this group occurred by 12 days postoperatively. Sixty (43%) patients were categorized as low insulin resistance. They demonstrated an increase of β-cell function by 12 days postoperatively, which returned to baseline by 6 months. At 1 year postoperatively, the low insulin resistance group had significantly higher β-cell function per degree of insulin sensitivity. Conclusions Adipose mass alone cannot explain insulin resistance. Severely obese individuals can be categorized by degree of insulin resistance, and the effect of gastric bypass depends upon this preoperative physiology.     

Revascularization of the Posterior Circulation

The primary objective of revascularization procedures in the posterior circulation is the prevention of vertebrobasilar ischemic stroke. Specific anatomical and neurophysiologic characteristics such as posterior communicating artery size affect the susceptibility to ischemia. Current indications for revascularization include symptomatic vertebrobasilar ischemia refractory to medical therapy and ischemia caused by parent vessel occlusion as treatment for complex aneurysms. Treatment options include endovascular angioplasty and stenting, surgical endarterectomy, arterial reimplantation, extracranial-to-intracranial anastomosis, and indirect bypasses. Pretreatment studies including cerebral blood flow measurements with assessment of hemodynamic reserve can affect treatment decisions. Careful blood pressure regulation, neurophysiologic monitoring, and neuroprotective measures such as mild brain hypothermia can help minimize the risks of intervention. Microscope, microinstruments and intraoperative Doppler are routinely used. The superficial temporal artery, occipital artery, and external carotid artery can be used to augment blood flow to the superior cerebellar artery, posterior cerebral artery, posterior inferior cerebellar artery, or anterior inferior cerebellar artery. Interposition venous or arterial grafts can be used to increase length. Several published series report improvement or relief of symptoms in 60 to 100% of patients with a reduction of risk of future stroke and low complication rates.     

Effects of atorvastatin on arterial endothelial function in coronary bypass surgery

Objective: Endothelial dysfunction represents a critical early component of organ injury following cardiopulmonary bypass. Recent studies demonstrate that the treatment with atorvastatin is associated with a significant improvement of endothelial function independently of its efficacy on cholesterol levels. Therefore, we investigated the effects of preoperative atorvastatin treatment on endothelium function after coronary surgery. Methods: Forty patients undergoing coronary surgery were randomized to treatment with atorvastatin (20 mg/die; N = 20) or placebo (N = 20) 3 weeks before surgery. Twenty normal patients served as control group. The flow-mediated dilations (FMD) of the brachial artery after both reactive hyperemia (endothelium dependent) and nitroglycerin administration (endothelium independent) were evaluated at baseline, at 48 h, and 5 days postoperatively. Results: At baseline, the endothelium-dependent FMD was significantly attenuated in coronary versus normal patients (normal 10.3 ± 1.8% vs coronary 4.1 ± 1.6%, p < 0.01). At 48 h postoperatively all patients exhibited a reduced FMD compared with baseline values: the endothelium-dependent dilatation showed a drop of 60.1 + 15% in the patients of the placebo group compared with 45.8 + 16.6% (p < 0.05) those in the atorvastatin group. At the univariate analysis, no significant correlation was found between serum levels of either total cholesterol or HDL cholesterol and FMD. The nitroglycerin-induced dilation was not significantly influenced by extracorporeal circulation as well as by atorvastatin treatment. Conclusions: The endothelial dysfunction following cardiopulmonary bypass is improved by the treatment with atorvastatin, by a mechanism unrelated to the drug efficacy of controlling serum cholesterol levels.     

Silastic ring vertical gastric bypass: cohort study with 83% rate of 5-year follow-up

BackgroundSilastic ring vertical gastric bypass (SRVGB) with jejunal interposition is our standard operation for morbidly obese patients. We present the results of 5 years of follow-up in a cohort of patients who underwent SRVGB in 2001.MethodsThe records of all 160 consecutive patients who underwent SRVGB from January to December 2001 were reviewed. Of the 160 procedures, 143 were primary open cases, 14 were revisions from restrictive procedures, and 3 were laparoscopic cases. At 5 years, the body mass index and percentage of excess weight loss was available for 133 patients (83%) at office visits (n = 91, 68.4%), by telephone (n = 40, 30.1%), or by e-mail (n = 2, 1.5%).ResultsOf the 160 patients, 121 were women and 39 were men, with a mean age of 33.15 ± 10.0 years, percentage of ideal body weight of 195.7% ± 40.8%, and body mass index of 44.6 ± 9.3 kg/m². The mean hospital stay was 3 ± 1 days. One patient (.6%) died of a pulmonary embolus. Early complications included 3 cases (1.87%) of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and 4 gastric leaks (2.5%): 2 (1.36%) from primary cases and 2 (14.29%) from revisional cases. Late complications included 32 patients (20%) with incisional hernias, 20 (12.5%) with anemia, 14 (8.8%) with dumping, 4 (2.5%) with gastrojejunal stricture, 2 (1.25%) with intestinal obstruction, and 2 (1.25%) requiring silastic ring surgical removal. The 5-year follow-up data were available for 133 patients (83%). The mean body mass index in this group was 27 ± 5 kg/m², with a percentage of excess weight loss of 83% ± 18.3% at 5 years postoperatively.ConclusionThe results of our study have shown that SRVGB is an effective operation for promoting lasting weight loss, with acceptable mortality and complication rates.     

锁骨下动脉狭窄或闭锁的治疗

用经皮经腔动脉成形术（ＰＴＡ）治疗锁骨下动脉狭窄或闭锁２４例，用血管旁路术治疗１４例。结果：２种治疗方法的近期通畅率相似，２年通畅率分别为６６．７％和７２．７％。提示：ＰＴＡ和血管旁路术均是治疗锁骨下动脉狭窄或闭锁的有效方法     

风湿性心脏病二尖瓣置换术中细胞因子水平的变化

目的测定风湿性心脏病二尖瓣置换术中细胞因子水平,了解它们的变化规律。方法 11例体外循环(CPB)下二尖瓣置换术患者,分别于术前,主动脉阻断前,主动脉阻断后5min,主动脉开放后10min、1h、2h、4h、24h测定白介素6(IL-6)、白介素8(IL-8)、白介素10(IL-10)以及肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)。结果IL-6、IL-8、IL-10水平在CPB开始后逐渐升高,在主动脉开放后2h左右达到高峰(P<0.01)。之后逐渐下降,到主动脉开放后24h已显著下降。TNF水平在CPB开始后逐渐升高,在主动脉开放后24h仍维持在很高的水平(P<0.01)。结论CPB下二尖瓣置换术中既有促炎因子水平的升高,又有抗炎因子的激活。