Stenosis in laparoscopic gastric bypass: management by endoscopic dilation without fluoroscopic guidance.

OBJECTIVES gastric bypass is the surgical procedure that is carried out most frequently in the treatment of morbid obesity. Stenosis of the gastro-jejunal anastomosis is a relatively frequent complication that requires endoscopic management. However, the optimal dilation technique is yet to be determined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of dilation with a hydrostatic balloon (CRE) without radioscopic guidance in morbidly obese patients treated by laparoscopic bypass. MATERIAL AND METHODS retrospective review of the data elicited from 525 patients treated against morbid obesity with laparoscopic gastric bypass from January, 2006 to November, 2010. RESULTS a total of 22/525 patients (4.1%) developed stenosis of the anastomosis [20 women (91%), 2 men (9%)]. In four patients (18.2%), there was an associated anastomotic ulcer, and in one case, there was a history of bleeding of an ulcer treated with sclerosis one month earlier. The diagnosis of stenosis was done in most patient during the first 90 days after the bypass. All cases were resolved by means of endoscopic dilation without adioscopic guidance, 15 cases (68.1%) required a single session, 6 cases (27.2%) two sessions, and 1 case (4.5%) required four sessions. This last case had an associated anastomotic ulcer. The diameter of the balloons ranged from 12 to 20 mm, generally using diameters of 12-15 mm in the first session, and increasing them in the following sessions according to the previous result. One patient treated with a 20 mm balloon presented with a small tear, without showing any evidence of leak of contrast medium in the radioscopic guidance, and was thus managed conservatively. In the follow-up, no re-stenoses were detected. CONCLUSIONS in our experience, stenosis of the anastomosis in the laparoscopic gastric bypass is an infrequent complication. When it happens, dilation with a hydrostatic balloon is an effective and safe treatment. Radioscopic guidance during dilation is not strictly necessary if norms of progressive dilation are followed.