Medium-term Follow-up Results with Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

BACKGROUND The indications for sleeve gastrectomy in the surgical treatment of morbid obesity have increased worldwide. Despite this, several aspects related to results at medium and long term remain in constant research. AIM To present the experience of sleeve gastrectomy in a center of excellence in bariatric surgery by analyzing clinical outcomes, complications and follow-up in the medium term. METHODS The study included 120 morbidly obese patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy and who were followed for at least 24 months. Aspects related to surgical technique, surgical complications and clinical outcome were analyzed. RESULTS Seventy-five patients were women (62.5%) and the average age was 36 years. The body mass index preoperatively ranged from 35.5 to 58 kg/m2(average of 40.2 kg/m2). The length of stay ranged from 1 to 4 days (mean 2.1 days). Comorbidities observed were hypertension (19%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (6.6%), dyslipidemia (7.5%), sleep apnea (16.6%), reflux esophagitis (10%) and orthopedic diseases (7.5%). The mean body mass index and total weight loss percentage with 3, 12, 18 and 24 months were 32.2 kg/m2-19,9%; 29.5 kg/m2-26,5%; 28.2 kg/m2-30,3% and 26.9 kg/m2-32,7%, respectively. Remission of diabetes and dyslipidemia occurred in all patients. In relation to hypertension, there was improvement or remission in 86%. There were only two complications (bronchial pneumonia and dehydration), with good response to clinical treatment. There was no evidence digestive fistula and mortality was zero. Eleven patients (9.1%) had regained weighing more than 5 kg. CONCLUSION The sleeve gastrectomy is surgical technique that has proven safe and effective in the surgical treatment of obesity and control of their comorbidities in postoperative follow-up for two years.