Successful revision surgery for very late-onset stomal obstruction following Gomez gastroplasty: a case report

BACKGROUND: Gomez gastroplasty, which was developed in the 1970s as one of the gastric restrictive surgeries for severe obesity, partitions the stomach using a stapler from the lesser towards the greater curvature at the upper gastric body, leaving a small channel. This procedure is no longer performed due to poor outcomes, but surgeons can encounter late-onset complications even decades after the surgery. Here, we report a case of very late-onset stomal obstruction following Gomez gastroplasty which was successfully treated by revision surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old man was referred to our institution with sudden-onset nausea and vomiting. He underwent weight loss surgery in the USA in 1979, but the details of the surgery were unclear. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy demonstrated a stoma at the greater curvature of the upper gastric body, and fluoroscopy showed retention of contrast medium in the fundus and poor outflow through the stoma. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a staple line partitioning the stomach. Considering these preoperative investigation findings and the period during which the surgery was performed, the patient was diagnosed with very late-onset stomal obstruction following Gomez gastroplasty. Supporting the preoperative diagnosis, the surgical findings revealed a staple line extending from the lesser towards the greater curvature of the upper gastric body and a channel reinforced by a running seromuscular suture on the greater curvature. Moreover, gastric torsion caused by the enlarged proximal gastric pouch was found. Re-gastroplasty involving wedge resection of the original channel was performed followed by construction of a new channel. Postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient no longer had symptoms of stomal obstruction after revision surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Re-gastroplasty was safe and feasible for very late-onset stomal obstruction following Gomez gastroplasty. Accurate preoperative diagnosis based on the patient’s interview and the investigation findings was important for surgical planning. A careful follow-up is required to prevent excessive weight regain after revision surgery.