Helicobacter pylori Does not Affect Postoperative Outcomes After Sleeve Gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: The effect of Helicobacter pylori (HP) colonization of the stomach of patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is unclear.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of HP colonization on postoperative outcomes of LSG.

SETTING: The setting of this study is in University Hospital.

METHODS: This study was a retrospective cohort study of prospectively maintained database of all patients who underwent LSG at Jordan University Hospital from 2008 to 2015.

RESULTS: Five hundred patients were included (362 females and 138 males). The mean preoperative weight was 124.5 ± 23.8 kg. The mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) was 45.5 ± 6.9 kg/m2 . Two hundred sixteen (43.2%) patients were found to be HP positive. The differences between the HP positive and negative groups in respect of sex, baseline weight, and BMI were not statistically significant. However, patients who were HP positive were significantly older. All patients were followed for at least 3 months. We had an overall complication rate of 2.6%. Differences in the complication rate between the two groups were not statistically significant. Follow-up was 61% at 1 year. The mean percent total weight loss (%TWL) was 32.9 ± 7.9, and the mean percent excess weight loss (%EWL) was 76.9 ± 21.1. The decrease in BMI was 15.2 ± 5.2. The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: There is no clear association between HP infection at the time of surgery and postoperative complications, especially leaks.