Is Preoperative Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Obese Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery Mandatory? An Asian Perspective.

BACKGROUND: The role of routine preoperative oesopha gogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) for all bariatric surgery candidates is controversial. We aim to investigate the prevalence of clinically significant OGD findings in a primarily Chinese obese population and identify factors that predict a normal screening OGD.

METHODS: Medical records of patients who underwent primary bariatric surgery in our centre from August 2002 to December 2014 were reviewed. OGD findings were classified into two groups: group 1 consisted of normal findings and abnormal findings that would not alter the surgical plan; group 2 consisted of lesions that might delay or alter the surgical procedure.

RESULTS: We identified 268 patients (169 female), of mean age 39.1 ± 10.8 years, mean baseline body weight 108.7 ± 6.1 kg and mean body mass index (BMI) 40.3 ± 6.1 kg/m2 for analysis. Overall prevalence of abnormal OGD findings was 51.1 %, which included gastritis (32.5 %), hiatus hernia (17.9 %), duodenitis (8.6 %) and erosive oesophagitis (7.5 %); 27.2 % had group 2 lesions. Univariate analysis revealed older age (p = 0.016), use of NSAIDs (p = 0.004) and presence of reflux symptoms (p = 0.029) as significant risk factors of group 2 lesions. On multivariate analysis, use of NSAIDs (p = 0.015) and reflux symptoms (p = 0.039) remained significant predictive factors. In the low-risk subgroup (40 years and younger, without reflux symptoms or use of NSAIDs), the prevalence of group 2 abnormalities was 18.9 %.

CONCLUSIONS: Significant endoscopic abnormalities are common among obese Chinese patients which may delay or change the surgical plan. The negative predictive value in low-risk patients was not strong. We therefore recommend routine preoperative endoscopy for all patients.