COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO GASTRIC BYPASS PERFORMED WITH DIFFERENT GASTROJEJUNAL DIAMETERS

BACKGROUND: Among the options for surgical treatment of obesity, the most widely used has been the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The gastrojejunal anastomosis can be accomplished in two ways: handsewn or using circular and linear stapled. The complications can be divided in early and late. AIM: To compare the incidence of early complications related with the handsewn gastrojejunal anastomosis in gastric bypass using Fouchet catheter with different diameters. METHOD: The records of 732 consecutive patients who had undergone the bypass were retrospectively analyzed and divided in two groups, group 1 with 12 mm anastomosis (n=374), and group 2 with 15 mm (n=358). RESULTS: The groups showed anastomotic stenosis with rates of 11% and 3.1% respectively, with p=0.05. Other variables related to the anastomosis were also analyzed, but without statistical significance (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The diameter of the anastomosis of 15 mm was related with lower incidence of stenosis. It was found that these patients had major bleeding postoperatively and lower surgical site infection, and in none was observed presence of anastomotic leak.