Background: Leak or stenosis following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) can lead to a major morbidity. We aim to evaluate whether the routine use of intraoperative endoscopy (IOE) can reduce this morbidity.
Methods: All cases of LRYGB in 2009-2014 were reviewed. In all cases, we perform an IOE. If IOE shows a leak, the area of the leak is re-enforced and IOE is repeated. If the leak persisted, a feeding tube and drains are placed.
Results: During the study period, we performed 342 LRYGB cases. Primary LRYGB represented 82 % (282/342). Average BMI 48 kg/m(2) (range was 35-92) and females represented 76 % (261/342). Our clinical leak rate was 3/342 (0.88 %) in LRYGB (0.4 % in primary and 3.3 % in revisional LRYGB). IOE showed a positive air leak test in six LRYGB cases (1.75 %). We were able to achieve a negative leak test after re-enforcement in 5/6 (83 %) cases, and all those patients had no clinical leak. The patient with persistent air leak test had a clinical leak after surgery. IOE was negative in 336 LRYGB cases and we had two clinical leaks in this group (0.59 %). Our stenosis rate at the gastrojejunostomy was 3/342 (0.88 %). The positive predictive value (PPV) of the performing IOE to detect leaks in LRYGB was 75 % while the negative predictive value was 99.5 %.
Conclusions: Routine IOE has led to a change in the operative strategy and could be one reason for our low leak and stenosis in laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.