Multidisciplinary Management of Leaks After One-Anastomosis Gastric Bypass in a Single-Center Series of 2780 Consecutive Patients

Few data exist in the literature concerning leaks after one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB). Our aim was to describe the incidence, presentation, and management of leaks after OAGB.

Between May 2010 and December 2017, 2780 consecutive patients underwent OAGB. A retrospective chart review was performed on the 46 patients (1.7%) who experienced postoperative leaks.

Leaks arose from the anastomosis in 6 cases (13%) and from the gastric pouch in 27 cases (59%), while the remaining 13 patients (28%) had leaks from an undetermined origin. Management followed a standardized algorithm taking into consideration the clinical situation and findings on an oral contrast computed tomography (CT) scan. All patients were treated by fasting, total parenteral nutrition, and antimicrobial therapy. Nine patients (20%) could be managed by medical treatment only, 13 patients (28%) underwent laparoscopic management (washout and drainage plus T-tube placement in 5 cases or conversion to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in one case). The remaining 23 patients (50%) were managed by percutaneous drainage and/or endoscopy. No mortality was observed; the major morbidity rate was 20%. The median length of a hospital stay was 17 days (5–80).

Management of leaks after OAGB depends on clinical conditions and presence, size, and location of an abscess and/or a fistula. If endoscopy and interventional radiology are available, reoperation can be avoided in most patients. In most leaks at the gastrojejunal anastomosis, inserting a T-tube in the leak orifice avoids the necessity for conversion to RYGB.