Endoscopic management of early upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
OBJECTIVE
Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGIH) is an infrequent complication (1-3.8%) following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). The safety and efficacy of endoscopic management of immediate postoperative bleeding is unknown. We sought to determine how frequently UGIH complicates LRYGB and whether endoscopic management is successful in controlling hemorrhage.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review of all patients who developed UGIH following LRYGB from November 2001 to July 2005 at a large suburban teaching hospital.


RESULTS
Of 933 patients who underwent LRYGB, 30 (3.2%) developed postoperative UGIH. An endoscopic esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was performed in 27/30 patients (90%). All were found to have bleeding emanating from the gastrojejunostomy (GJ) staple line. Endoscopic intervention was performed in 24/30 (80%) with epinephrine injection and heater probe cautery being used most commonly. Endoscopic therapy was ultimately successful in controlling all hemorrhage, with 5 patients (17%) requiring a second EGD for rebleeding. No patient required surgery to control hemorrhage. One patient aspirated during the endoscopic procedure with subsequent anoxic encephalopathy and died 5 days postoperatively. Twenty-one patients (70%) developed UGIH in the intraoperative or immediate postoperative period (<4 h postoperative). The mean length of stay was significantly longer in these patients (2.84 vs 4.1, P= 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
(a) UGIH complicates LRYGB in a small but significant number of patients. (b) Bleeding usually occurs at the GJ site. (c) EGD is safe and effective in controlling hemorrhage with standard endoscopic techniques. (d) UGIH occurs most commonly in the immediate postoperative period and may be best managed in the operating room with the patient intubated to prevent aspiration.
Jamil
Laith H
LH
Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA.
Krause
Kevin R
KR
Chengelis
David L
DL
Jury
Robert P
RP
Jackson
Clara M
CM
Cannon
Michael E
ME
Duffy
Michael C
MC
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016558:Hemostasis, Endoscopic / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000601:surgery; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome