Anastomotic Strictures After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: a Cohort Study from the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is the most common bariatric procedure worldwide. Anastomotic stricture is a known complication of RYGB. The aim was to explore the incidence and outcomes of strictures within the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (SOReg).

METHOD: SOReg included prospective data from 36,362 patients undergoing bariatric surgery in the years 2007-2013. Outcomes were recorded at 30-day and at 1-year follow-up according to the standard SOReg routine. The medical charts of patients suffering from stricture after RYGB were requested and assessed.

SETTING: National bariatric surgery registry RESULTS: Anastomotic stricture within 1 year of surgery was confirmed in 101 patients representing an incidence of 0.3%. Risk factors for stricture were patient age above 60 years (odds ratio (OR), 6.2 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.7-14.3), circular stapled gastrojejunostomy (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.4-5.5), postoperative anastomotic leak (OR 8.9 95%, CI 4.7-17.0), and marginal ulcer (OR 30.0, 95% CI 19.2-47.0). Seventy-five percent of the strictures were diagnosed within 70 days of surgery. Two dilatations or less was sufficient to successfully treat 50% of patients. Ten pecent of patients developed perforation during dilatation, and the risk of perforating at each dilatation was 3.8%. Perforation required surgery in six cases but there was no mortality. Strictures in SOReg may be underreported, which could explain the low incidence in the study.

CONCLUSION: Most strictures present within 2 months and are successfully treated with two dilatations or less. Dilating a strictured gastrojejunostomy entails a risk of perforation (3.8%).