title: Prospective comparative study of the efficacy of staple-line reinforcement in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Staple-line reinforcement has been used with promising results in laparoscopic gastric bypass in order to reduce leakage, increase staple-line integrity, and diminish staple-site bleeding. The purpose of this study was to determine if staple-line reinforcement with bovine pericardial strips reduces surgical complications of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective comparative study of all patients who underwent LSG by a standard operative team in an 18-month period. Patients were enrolled in group A if they received staple-line reinforcement and in group B when not. The staple line was reinforced with bovine pericardium strips [Peri-Strips Dry (PSD)].
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 187 patients, with a median preoperative BMI of 45.3 kg/m(2) (range = 35.1-72.7), underwent LSG. Ninety-six patients were enrolled in group A and 91 in group B; the two groups were comparable in their various characteristics. Morbidity rate representing grade III-IV surgical complications reached 7.4% and mortality rate was 0.5%. Reinforcement with PSD significantly reduced the occurrence of bleeding from the staple line and intra-abdominal collections (P = 0.012 and 0.026). The leak rate was not significantly reduced in group A. Patients in group A required fewer days of hospitalization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reinforcement of the staple line in LSG resulted in significantly fewer surgical complications compared to standard stapling of the gastric tube. The additional cost due to the reinforcement of the staple line may be counterbalanced by the reduction in the length of hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Hippokration Hospital of Athens, Athens Medical School, Vasilissis Sofias Avenue 114, 11527 Athens, Greece. cstamou@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Konstantinos M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Stamou
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Menenakos
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dardamanis
authors.forename: Calliope
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arabatzi
authors.forename: Leonidas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alevizos
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Albanopoulos
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leandros
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zografos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D015390:Gastric Bypass; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D017792:Surgical Stapling / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials