title: Successful endoscopic management of gastrointestinal leakages after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Management of leakages of the gastrojejunal anastomosis after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) can be complex. New endoscopic techniques such as covered stents and over-the-scope clips (OTCs) have been developed and are valuable alternative therapeutic options to reoperation and drainage. The aim of this study was to compare the value of stents and OTCs with surgical treatment options for the therapy of anastomotic leakages after LRYGB.
  
  
  METHODS
  Results of patients who were treated surgically with reoperation, local irrigation and drain placement (n = 9) were compared with results of patients who were treated endoscopically with stent and/or OTC placement (n = 5). Success rate, length of hospital stay, mortality, number of OTC applications/stent placement and percutaneous drainage placements were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 14 of 1,046 patients (1.34%) developed a leakage of their gastrojejunal anastomosis after LRYGB between 2000 and 2012. While the success rate in surgically treated patients was 88%, the endoscopic treatment using a sequential approach with stenting, OTC application and percutaneous placement of drainages resulted in a 100% closure rate. The mortality rate and length of stay were not substantially different after both treatment regimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endoscopic management of anastomotic leakages after LRYGB may constitute a valuable alternative therapeutic option to surgical reoperation and drainage placement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiesser
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kressig
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bueter
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nocito
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bauerfeind
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gubler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057868:Anastomotic Leak / Q000628:therapy*; D004322:Drainage; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D016896:Treatment Outcome