Diagnosis and management of partial small bowel obstruction after laparoscopic antecolic antegastric Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity.
BACKGROUND
The resultant derangement of the normal gastrointestinal anatomy after a gastric bypass procedure increases the incidence of, and level of difficulty diagnosing, partial small bowel obstruction (SBO) in morbidly obese patients. We evaluated the diagnostic methods for partial SBO and the clinical characteristics according to the time after initial operation.


METHODS
Data of 1,400 consecutive patients who underwent antecolic antegastric laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass between 2001 and 2004 were retrospectively analyzed.


RESULTS
Partial SBO developed in 21 (1.5%) patients after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Five of 15 patients were preoperatively diagnosed with SBO by a gastrograffin study and CT scan diagnosed 17 of 19 patients (p = 0.002). Causes of SBO included jejunojejunostomy stenosis (n = 6), adhesions (n = 5), incarcerated ventral hernia (n = 5), internal hernia (n = 3), and other (n = 2). The majority of patients (n = 19) underwent surgical treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The most frequent cause of early SBO is jejunojejunal anastomotic stenosis. CT scan is a more accurate diagnostic tool for detecting partial SBO, compared with use of a gastrograffin study. Operation remains the most appropriate and definitive treatment for this complication and the laparoscopic approach is a feasible and safe surgical treatment option.
Cho
Minyoung
M
Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
Carrodeguas
Lester
L
Pinto
David
D
Lascano
Charles
C
Soto
Flavia
F
Whipple
Oliver
O
Gordon
Richard
R
Simpfendorfer
Conrad
C
Gonzalvo
John Paul
JP
Szomstein
Samuel
S
Rosenthal
Raul J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery