Laparoscopic Conversion of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass to Sleeve Gastrectomy for Postprandial Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has proven to be a safe and effective treatment for obesity and its related comorbidities. However, RYGB may lead to uncommon, but occasionally difficult to treat complications such as postprandial hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (PHH) [1]. PHH is a condition characterized by hypoglycemic symptoms occurring 1–3 h after a meal, accompanied by low plasma glucose levels, typically preceded by a rise in both glucose and insulin concentrations [2]. The incidence of PHH is unknown and is probably underdiagnosed, as many patients are asymptomatic. The goal for the treatment of PHH after RYGB are to moderate postprandial fluctuations in plasma glucose, reduce insulin secretion, and ultimately reduce hypoglycemia [3]. Therapeutic options can be divided into medical and surgical. In cases of refractory patients, surgical treatment options include partial or total pancreatectomy, or a RYGB reversal procedure accompanied by gastric pouch restriction [4, 5].

We present a 27-year-old female who underwent RYGB for morbid obesity. Two years post-surgery, she was referred to the ER due to tremor, palpitations, and syncope. On investigation, her capillary glucose was as low as 37 mg%. The hypoglycemic episodes repeated a few times a day. A comprehensive investigation included a 72 h fasting test, blood tests—serum C peptide and insulin, plasma sulfonylurea, anti-insulin ab, abdominal CT, MRI, octreotide test, and EUS. None of the tests showed any pathology, and she was given the diagnosis of PHH and was treated medically with diazoxide and acrabose without improvement. Surgical options were discussed with the patient and a conversion of the RYGB to sleeve gastrectomy was scheduled.

In this video, we show how to revise an RYGB to treat PHH, by converting the RYGB to a sleeve gastrectomy. The intervention starts by restoring the normal anatomy of the small bowel with resection of the 100-cm Roux limb. Then, the greater curvature of the bypassed stomach was resected. A standard LSG around a 34Fr bougie was performed. A gastro-gastric anastomosis was fashioned between the pouch and the remnant stomach. The patient's operative and post-operative course was unremarkable with no further hypoglycemic episodes to date after 1-year follow-up.

This technique was shown to be safe and effective as a part of the surgical treatment of post- bariatric PHH.