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Endoscopic Management of Sleeve Stenosis

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Abstract

Purpose

Sleeve gastrectomy is one of the most popular bariatric procedures performed. A complication of this surgery is sleeve stenosis, causing significant morbidity and the need for corrective intervention. Endoscopic treatment using pneumatic dilation has evolved as an effective, and minimally invasive, technique to successfully treat this complication. Here we report our experience with endoscopic management of sleeve stenosis at a tertiary bariatric center.

Material and Methods

We identified all patients that underwent endoscopic management of sleeve stenosis at a tertiary bariatric center from 2010. We reviewed patient demographics, operative data, interval to endoscopic treatment, and outcomes of pneumatic dilations.

Results

Sixty seven patients underwent 130 endoscopic dilations. The majority of these patients were female (71%), and at the time of sleeve gastrectomy average age was 43.3 years (range 18–68 years) and average BMI was 41.5 kg/m2 (range 31–63 kg/m2). The time interval to first endoscopic procedure was 7.2 months (range 0.75–53 months), with an average of 2 procedures per patient. During the follow-up period, the success rate of endoscopic dilatation was 76.1%, while the remaining 16 patients underwent conversion to gastric bypass. Two patients underwent emergency conversion to gastric bypass for sleeve perforation during the procedure (1.5%). There was a modest weight gain of 3 kg (4.2% total body weight) after sleeve dilatation.

Conclusions

Endoscopic management of sleeve stenosis is safe and effective, with a success rate of over 75%. During endoscopic management, there was a 1.5% risk of sleeve perforation requiring emergency surgery. Mild weight regain occurred following endoscopic sleeve dilation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, affiliated with Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Mati Shnell & Sigal Fishman

  2. Department of Surgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, affiliated with Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Nadav Nevo, Guy Lahat, Subhi Abu-Abeid, Adam L Goldstein & Shai Meron Eldar

Authors
  1. Mati Shnell
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  2. Nadav Nevo
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  3. Guy Lahat
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  4. Subhi Abu-Abeid
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  5. Adam L Goldstein
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  6. Sigal Fishman
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  7. Shai Meron Eldar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shai Meron Eldar.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

For this type of study formal, consent is not required

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Key Points

1. Sleeve stenosis is complication of sleeve gastrectomy.

2. Pneumatic dilation is safe and effective with a 76% success rate and 1.5% risk of perforation.

3. Slight weight regain is expected.

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Shnell, M., Nevo, N., Lahat, G. et al. Endoscopic Management of Sleeve Stenosis. OBES SURG 31, 4749–4753 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-021-05613-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-021-05613-5

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