June 15, 2018
3 min read
Save

Certain bariatric procedures linked to higher risk for GERD, esophagitis

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.

WASHINGTON — Patients who undergo Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass have lower odds of developing GERD and esophagitis after they undergo surgery, compared with other gastric bypass surgery types, according to data presented at Digestive Disease week.

Perspective from Kenneth DeVault, MD, FACG

“There’s limited data comparing the various bariatric procedures with regard to long-term changes to the esophagus,” Lisa Bevilacqua, MD, of Stony Brook University School of Medicine, said during her presentation. “However, there is some emerging data that sleeve gastrectomy may predispose to reflux and its complications.”

Bevilacqua and colleagues used data from the New York Statewide database to investigate any associations between surgery type and post-operative diagnoses. They searched for all adult patients who underwent biliopancreatic diversion (BPD), adjustable gastric banding (AGB), Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass (RYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) between 1995 and 2010.

The study comprised 48,991 patients (mean age, 42.8 years; 78.4% women; 61.3% Caucasian). Of this cohort, 30.3% had a diagnosis of GERD before their operation. These patients were more likely to develop GERD (OR = 2.2; 95% CI, 2.1–2.3), esophagitis (OR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.3–1.5) and Barret’s esophagus (OR = 2; 95% CI, 1.7–2.4) after surgery.

After excluding patients with a diagnosis before surgery, Bevilacqua and colleagues compared incidence of the conditions for patients that underwent RYGB and the other three procedures. They found that patients who underwent AGB were more likely to develop GERD (OR = 1.61; 95% CI, 1.51–1.71) and esophagitis (OR = 1.92; 95% CI, 1.68–2.18) following surgery compared with patients who underwent RYGB. They also found that patients who underwent LSG were more likely to develop GERD (OR = 1.63; 95% CI, 1.44–1.84) and esophagitis (OR = 1.62; 95% CI, 1.25–2.1) than patients in the RYGB cohort. The researchers did not find that same pattern when they compared the procedures for incidence of BE or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), although Bevilacqua said a longer follow-up may be needed to track the development of EAC.

“No specific procedure increases the risk for EAC development,” she said. “Which is a novel finding and may help assuage fears among bariatric surgeons when picking a procedure.” – by Alex Young

Reference:

Bevilacqua LA, et al. Abstract 213. Presented at: Digestive Disease Week; June 2-5, 2018; Washington, D.C.

Disclosures: Bevilacqua reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the DDW faculty disclosure index for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.