Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Bleeding in the early postoperative period after gastric bypass surgery is a rare complication reported in 1-4% of cases. In most cases, the bleeding will be self-limited, resolving after discontinuation of anticoagulation for deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis. Occasionally, however, bleeding can be problematic, resulting in significant postoperative morbidity or even mortality. The purpose of the present study was to review cases of early postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding after gastric bypass to identify possible risk factors and examine outcomes. METHODS:A prospective weight loss surgery patient database was reviewed to examine the cases occurring from January 2005 to July 2008. Patients with early postoperative bleeding were identified. The demographics and co-morbidities were compared between those with and without postoperative bleeding. The outcomes of interest included the transfusion requirement, postoperative morbidity, need for reoperation, length of hospital stay, intensive care unit admission, and 30-day mortality. RESULTS:A total of 776 patients had undergone gastric bypass during the study period. Of these, 26 (3.3%) were identified with early postoperative bleeding. No significant differences were found in the demographics between the patients with early postoperative bleed and those without. Of the patients with early postoperative bleeding, the most common presenting sign or symptom was tachycardia (46%) followed by melena (32%) and hematemesis (18%). The transfusion requirement range was 0-11 U (average 3.2 U/patient). Of the 26 patients, 4 (15%) required intensive care unit admission and 8 (31%) required reoperation. Four gastrointestinal leaks, one stomal ulceration, and one gastrogastric fistula were identified in the early postoperative bleeding group. One patient (3.8%) in the early postoperative bleeding group died. Compared with nonbleeding patients, those with early postoperative bleeding had a significantly longer hospital stay (4.8 versus 3, P <.0001) and greater mortality rate (7.1% versus .9%, P <.01). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Postoperative bleeding is a significant complication after gastric bypass surgery. Although in many cases, the bleeding will be self-limited, it can result in additional notable complications. In the present study, postoperative bleeding contributed to significantly longer hospital stays and resulted in 1 death. A patient with bleeding after gastric bypass should raise due concern, with attention to the potential attendant complications.

Injury to the common bile duct (CBD) during upper gastrointestinal surgery for peptic ulcer disease is a serious complication with an underestimated prevalence in light of the few cases reported in the surgical literature. Three cases of CBD injury were referred to a multidisciplinary specialized gastrointestinal unit for management over a 4-year period. Anomalous anatomy, adhesions, and potential duodenal shortening secondary to contracture all predispose the biliary ducts to intraoperative injury. The axial nature of the blood supply to the extrahepatic ducts and the tendency of bile itself to cause rapid collagen turnover and fibrosis, combined with the inflammation and subsequent fibrosis to the surrounding tissues caused by bile leakage, give the bile ducts a high propensity for stricture formation. Frequently presenting symptoms of CBD injury immediately after surgery include jaundice, elevated bilirubin values, elevated t-tube drainage, and symptoms of sepsis. The most common complaints noted in patients who present in a delayed manner are symptoms of cholangitis. Even when injuries are rapidly identified and corrected, the potential for lasting negative impact on quality of life is great in many cases. When CBD injury occurs, the pancreatic duodenal union can be concomitantly disrupted.

BACKGROUND:Patients who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity may develop postoperative abdominal pain disorders that require surgical evaluation. Chronic pancreatitis and pain associated with sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is an uncommon disorder whose clinical diagnosis is problematic without sphincter of Oddi manometry. To evaluate the diagnosis and treatment of SOD in the gastric bypass population, a retrospective review and analysis of gastric bypass patients who had undergone transduodenal sphincteroplasty (TS) for SOD was undertaken. METHODS:The medical records of patients who had undergone TS after gastric bypass at the Medical University of South Carolina Digestive Disease Center from January 2002 to December 2006 were evaluated for outcomes-based data with the approval of the institutional review board for the evaluation of human subjects. Long-term patient outcomes were assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item, version 2, quality-of-life survey. RESULTS:A total of 16 women (median age 49 years) were identified who had undergone TS with biliary sphincteroplasty and pancreatic ductal septoplasty for SOD. The indications for surgery included pain (100%), nausea (31%), weight loss (13%), and recurrent pancreatitis (31%). The diagnosis of SOD was supported by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography with secretin stimulation. Three postoperative complications (18.8%) developed, but no mortality. The average length of hospital stay was 5 days (range 2-9). Of the 16 patients, 13 (81%) responded to the survey follow-up. The mean length of follow-up was 28 months (range 16-57). Of the 13 patients, 11 (85%) reported pain improvement after surgery. The survey's norm-based scores were similar to those of a representative population. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:SOD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of gastric bypass patients with pancreatobiliary pain after cholecystectomy. When the clinical history is supported by laboratory and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography data, TS can be undertaken with low morbidity and good patient outcomes. SOD is a notable disorder in the gastric bypass population. With appropriate patient selection, TS can be beneficial.

Because of poor outcomes with traditional surgical management, total pancreatectomy with autologous islet transplantation (TPAIT) has been heralded as a breakthrough in the management of severe chronic pancreatitis intractable to medical management. To assess the impact of TPAIT on a pancreatobiliary disease-based center, a retrospective review and analysis of patients who underwent TPAIT after failing traditional surgical management was undertaken. Seven patients who underwent TPAIT were identified. Patient hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and clinic visits in the year pre- and post-TPAIT were tabulated. Average body weights and serum prealbumin were recorded during the year pre- and post-TPAIT. Based on the number of hospitalizations, clinic visits, and emergency department visits as an indicator of overall symptom severity, patients experienced an improvement in symptoms during the 12 months after TPAIT. Prealbumin values remained stable during the postoperative year. An observed decrease in weight suggests that other factors may be impacting the overall state of nutrition. The impact of TPAIT on the surgical management of chronic pancreatitis is limited in scope and benefit and continues to require careful analysis to identify appropriate candidates.

The morbid obesity epidemic in the United States has resulted in increasing numbers of patients who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass who require surgical management of nonbariatric disorders. When pancreatic resection is indicated in bariatric patients, consideration of the altered foregut anatomy can be applied to the principles of pancreatic resection to foster effective techniques that minimize operative complications. A retrospective review and analysis of bariatric patients who underwent pancreatic resection at the Medical University of South Carolina Digestive Center over a 2-year period (2006 to 2007) was conducted to assess indications for operation, operative techniques, and postoperative outcome in patients with previous Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. There were five patients (four female, one male) identified with a mean age of 35 years (range, 32-50 years). The mean time interval from gastric bypass to pancreatic resection was 42.6 months (range, 10-72 months). Indications for pancreatic operations were islet hyperplasia in two patients, chronic pancreatitis in two, and serous cystadenoma in one. Two patients underwent duodenal-preserving pancreatic head resection (Beger procedure) and three underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. Mean length of hospital stay was 11.4 days (range, 5-22 days). Two patients had extended hospital stay as a result of gastrointestinal ileus. There was no other operative morbidity or mortality. Mean length of patient follow up was 9.8 months (range, 1-17 months). Specific operative techniques used in pancreatic head resection were duodenal preservation, pancreatic drainage with an omega loop constructed from a mid-Roux limb, and excluded stomach gastrostomy. Techniques used in pancreatic tail and body resection were splenectomy discontinuous from pancreatectomy, division of the splenic vein and artery at the pancreatic neck early in surgery, retrograde dissection of the pancreas body and tail, and dissection of the body and tail posterior to the Roux limb leaving the Roux limb intact. Pancreatic resection after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is safe and effective when using prescribed operative principles that minimize disruption of the foregut reconstruction and adds protection to the gastric remnant with a gastrostomy for decompression and access for enteral alimentation when necessary.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM/OBJECTIVE:Postoperative adhesions create significant morbidity and mortality. Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) procedures may reduce or eliminate adhesions by avoiding disruption of the parietal peritoneum. The primary aim of this pilot study was to compare adhesion formation after performance and subsequent repair of colonic perforation via transgastric, laparoscopic, or open surgical techniques. The secondary aim was to test the feasibility and outcome of transgastric management of bowel perforation in a prepared model. MATERIAL AND METHODS/METHODS:15 Yorkshire pigs were divided into three groups of five: transgastric (needle-knife entry with balloon dilation over a wire), laparoscopic, and open surgical. Aspects of adhesion formation (density/vascularity, width of bands, and number of organ pairs involved) were compared after perforation and repair during the same procedure. Intra- and postoperative complications were documented during the 21-day survival period. RESULTS:All 15 pigs recovered fully with no immediate procedural complications. After 21 days, there was a trend towards a lower adhesion burden regarding density/vascularity and number of organ pairs involved, and a significant reduction in the width of the adhesive bands, when the transgastric group was compared with the surgical groups. Additionally, there was a trend towards decreased adhesions to the peritoneum in the transgastric group. CONCLUSIONS:Repair of colonic perforation during transgastric (NOTES) procedures appear feasible and safe in a porcine model. There appears to be a trend towards a lower rate of adhesion formation with the transgastric approach compared with laparoscopic or open surgery.

BACKGROUND:Surgical management of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction and pancreas divisum is controversial. In the modern era of therapeutic endoscopy, pain persisting despite endoscopic sphincterotomy and anatomy that makes the ampulla endoscopically inaccessible prompt referral for surgical transduodenal sphincteroplasty (TS). A retrospective review of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction and pancreas divisum patients who underwent TS for refractory pain in a recent time period was undertaken. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:The medical records of all patients who underwent TS for sphincter of Oddi dysfunction and pancreas divisum at the Medical University of South Carolina between January 2001 and December 2005 were reviewed. Longterm outcomes were assessed by a standardized written questionnaire and the SF-36 version 2 Quality of Life Survey. RESULTS:Sixty-eight patients underwent TS (median age 43 years, 54 women). Fifty-one had earlier endoscopic sphincterotomy; 17, with previous gastric surgery, did not. Operative morbidity was 10.3%, with no mortality. Forty-five patients (66%) completed the questionnaire; 62% had improvement in pain, without reintervention, over a median followup of 42.5 months (range 16 to 75 months). There was a trend toward more favorable outcomes in patients with earlier gastric surgery (no previous endoscopic sphincterotomy) compared with others (90% versus 54%, p=0.06). Multivariate analysis showed chronic pancreatitis (odds ratio 0.11 [95% CI 0.02 to 0.68; p=0.02]) and younger age (odds ratio 3.9 [95% CI 1.32 to 11.53; p=0.01] per decade) were independent predictors of poorer outcomes. CONCLUSIONS:Good longterm outcomes with low operative morbidity can be obtained with TS in selected patients, including those with postgastric bypass, but younger age and chronic pancreatitis appear to predict poorer outcomes.

BACKGROUND:In a recent preliminary trial in 20 patients after gastric bypass surgery, 20 minutes of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the left prefrontal cortex was associated with a 40% reduction in postoperative patient-controlled morphine use. As is the case with all novel scientific findings, and especially those that might have an impact on clinical practice, replicability is paramount. This study sought to test this finding for replication and to more accurately estimate the effect size of this brief intervention on postoperative morphine use and postoperative pain and mood ratings. METHODS:Twenty participants who underwent gastric bypass surgery completed this replication and extension study. Beck Depression Inventory and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale scores were collected before surgery and at the time of discharge from the hospital. Immediately after surgery, participants were randomly assigned to receive 20 minutes of real or sham repetitive TMS (rTMS) (10 Hz, 10 seconds-ON, 20 seconds-OFF for a total of 4000 pulses). Patient-controlled morphine pump usage was tracked throughout each participant's postoperative hospital stay. In addition, pain and mood ratings were collected via visual analogue scales twice per day. RESULTS:Findings from the original postoperative TMS trial were replicated, as cumulative morphine usage curves were significantly steeper among patients receiving sham TMS, and participants receiving real TMS had used 35% less morphine at the time of discharge than participants receiving sham TMS. At the time of discharge, subjects who had received real TMS had used 42.50 mg of morphine, whereas subjects receiving sham TMS had used an average of 64.88 mg. When the data from the original preliminary trial were combined with the data from this replication trial, a significant difference in cumulative morphine usage was observed between subjects receiving real and sham TMS. Overall, participants who received real TMS used 36% less morphine and had significantly lower ratings of postoperative pain-on-average, and pain-at-its-worst than participants receiving sham. In addition, participants who received real TMS rated their mood-at-its-worst as significantly better than participants receiving sham. The effect of a single 20-minute session of TMS on postoperative pain and morphine use appears to be large (Cohen's d = 0.70) and clinically meaningful. Lastly, cross-lag correlational analyses indicate that improvements in mood follow improvements in pain by approximately 12 hours, supporting the notion that postoperative analgesic TMS effects are not driven by antidepressant effects. CONCLUSIONS:Although more research is needed to verify these observed effects independently, findings from the original postoperative TMS trial were replicated. TMS may have the potential to significantly improve current standards of postoperative care among gastric bypass patients, and further studies may be warranted on other surgical populations. Future investigations should use methodology that permits more definitive conclusions about causal effects of TMS on postoperative pain (for example, double-blinding, sham stimulation that is matched with real TMS with respect to scalp discomfort).

A pancreatic fistula is an uncommon and challenging problem for the general surgeon. Protean in presentation, the underlying pathophysiology of a pancreatic duct disruption is consistent. Several basic principles, when followed, simplify management. These tenets include medical stabilization and nutritional optimization, definition of the underlying duct disorder, and, finally, definitive management with or without surgery. With appropriate prompt care, patients can achieve good outcomes.

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:To evaluate predictors of endoscopic findings in symptomatic patients after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) for obesity. METHODS:A retrospective chart review of 1,001 RYGBP procedures was performed. Two hundred twenty-six (23%) patients were identified as having endoscopy to evaluate upper gastrointestinal symptoms following surgery. Polychotomous logistic regression analysis was used to assess predictors of normal endoscopy, marginal ulcers, stomal stenosis, and staple-line dehiscence. RESULTS:The most common endoscopic findings were 99 (44%) normal postsurgical anatomy, 81 (36%) marginal ulcer, 29 (13%) stomal stenosis, and 8 (4%) staple-line dehiscence. Factors that significantly increase the risk of marginal ulcers following surgery include smoking (AOR = 30.6, 95% CI 6.4-146) and NSAID use (AOR = 11.5, 95% CI 4.8-28). PPI therapy following surgery was protective against marginal ulcers (AOR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.11-0.97). Median time for diagnosis of marginal ulcers following surgery was 2 months, and 77 of 81 (95%) presented within 12 months. CONCLUSIONS:Following RYGBP surgery for obesity, smoking and NSAID use significantly increase the risk of marginal ulceration, and PPI therapy is protective. Because a significant majority of marginal ulcers present within 12 months of surgery, it may be reasonable to consider prophylactic PPI therapy during this time period, especially for high risk patients.