Does anatomy explain the origin of a leak after sleeve gastrectomy?
BACKGROUND
Sleeve gastrectomy is a bariatric surgical procedure that may result in particular morbidity or mortality due to gastric fistula in the proximal part of the gastric tube. Two theories are currently proposed to explain this specific leak location. The vascular theory attributes the leaks to reduced perfusion in the gastric tube, and the mechanical theory suggests the etiology as gastric tube hyper-pressure due to pyloric conservation. The aim of this study was to map the arterial gastric vascular supply on fresh cadavers after performing sleeve gastrectomy to evaluate the effect of vascular changes on gastric leakage.


METHODS
We performed sleeve gastrectomies on 11 cadaveric trunks with a detailed anatomical study of the gastric vascular supply after latex injection in the three branches arising from the celiac trunk.


RESULTS
In 55 % of cases, the sleeve procedure changed the gastric vascular supply. In 9.1 %, it divided the three left gastric artery branches arising from the lesser curvature. Few changes were noted in the antrum or pylorus.


CONCLUSIONS
This anatomical study demonstrates that the vascular supply of the proximal part of the gastric tube can be damaged by a sleeve procedure, which can sever one or more of the branches arising from the left gastric artery. Such weakness could be exacerbated by disparities in vascular supply. The uninterrupted vascular supply of the antrum and pylorus may explain the preferential localization of the fistula to the proximal part of the gastric tube.
Department of Anatomy, Lorraine University, 2 Av. de la Forêt de Haye, 54501, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France, m.perez@chu-nancy.fr.
Manuela
M
Perez
Laurent
L
Brunaud
Sabrina
S
Kedaifa
Cyril
C
Guillotin
Alexandre
A
Gerardin
Didier
D
Quilliot
Gilles
G
Grosdidier
Nicolas
N
Reibel
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D057868:Anastomotic Leak / Q000209:etiology*; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005747:Gastric Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery; D013270:Stomach / Q000098:blood supply*