GASTRIC DECOMPRESSION IN PATIENTS AFTER LAPAROSCOPY SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY

Abstract

The aim of our study was to evaluate gastric decompression in patients after laparoscopy sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). We performed a retrospective analysis of the treatment of 64 patients with morbid obesity who underwent laparoscopy sleeve gastrectomy. 25 patients who have undergo LSG with a nasogastric tube placement composed group 1; in the other 39 patients, no nasogastric tube was placed (group 2). No statistical differences were observed between groups 1 and 2 regarding gender distribution, age, weight, body mass index, and excessive weight. Intraoperative blood loss (184 ± 85.1 vs. 164.1 ± 58.4 ml, respectively) and operative time (132.1 ± 24.5 vs. 120.8 ± 23.6 min, respectively) were comparable between the groups. A staple line leak once occurred on the 5th postoperative day in group 1 and no leak was observed in group 2 patients. The complication rate, mainly, tube-related otolaryngological complications, was higher in group 1. Postoperative hospital stay was significantly longer in group 1 vs. group 2 patients (8.9 ± 2.1 vs. 6.3 ± 1.7 days, respectively; t = 5.89). We conclude that routine placement of a nasogastric tube in LSG patients is not useful in reducing leak incidence.