Is sleeve gastrectomy a therapeutic procedure for all obese patients?
BACKGROUND
Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a worldwide surgical procedure for morbid obesity. However patients selection is still anecdotal. The aim of this study is to analyse clinical and anthropometric parameters correlated with LSG and to check the validity of this procedure for different categories of obese patients.


METHODS
Two-hundred one consecutive patients were submitted to LSG as a primary bariatric procedure between 2008 and 2014. One year follow-up was completed in 159 patients. Smaller groups of patients completed 2 and 3 years follow-up (78, 46 patients respectively). Median preoperative body mass index (BMI) was 45.4 kg/m2 (range: 34.8-73.8); 135 patients (80%) had one or more comorbidities. Potential correlations between age, gender, preoperative BMI, preoperative excess weight, early excess weight loss (EWL) and 1 and 3 year-EWL were investigated.


RESULTS
All procedures were regularly completed with laparoscopic approach without conversion to laparotomy. Postoperative complications occurred in six patients (3.7%); no postoperative mortality was observed. Median one-year BMI and EWL were 32.8 kg/m2 and 55.34%, respectively. Three year-EWL was significantly influenced by age, and early EWL. A complete normalization of glycemic levels after the three-year follow-up was also observed in high percentage of diabetic patients. In patients with preoperative BMI>50 kg/m2 we observed most failure cases in terms of EWL and the worst metabolic results.


CONCLUSIONS
Our experience indicates that LSG is a safe procedure with satisfactory three-year late weight loss in patients with preoperative BMI <50 kg/m2. Promising results, in terms of improvements of comorbidities, were also observed. These results make LSG one of the most attractive first stage surgical procedure for morbid obesity.
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, Unit of Bariatric Surgery, University of Siena, Viale Bracci, Policlinico "Le Scotte", 53100, Siena, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Vuolo
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, Unit of Bariatric Surgery, University of Siena, Viale Bracci, Policlinico "Le Scotte", 53100, Siena, Italy.
Costantino
C
Voglino
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, Unit of Bariatric Surgery, University of Siena, Viale Bracci, Policlinico "Le Scotte", 53100, Siena, Italy.
Andrea
A
Tirone
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, Unit of Bariatric Surgery, University of Siena, Viale Bracci, Policlinico "Le Scotte", 53100, Siena, Italy.
Giuseppina
G
Colasanto
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, Unit of General Surgery, University of Siena, Viale Bracci, Policlinico "Le Scotte", 53100, Siena, Italy.
Ilaria
I
Gaggelli
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, Unit of Endocrinology, University of Siena, Viale Bracci, Policlinico "Le Scotte", 53100, Siena, Italy.
Cristina
C
Ciuoli
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, Unit of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, University of Siena, Viale Bracci, Policlinico "Le Scotte", 53100, Siena, Italy. Electronic address: frr.fra@gmail.com.
Francesco
F
Ferrara
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, Unit of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, University of Siena, Viale Bracci, Policlinico "Le Scotte", 53100, Siena, Italy.
Daniele
D
Marrelli
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss
Bariatric surgery; Excess weight loss; Morbidity; Obesity; Sleeve gastrectomy