Preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy in patients without reflux symptoms undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: utility or futility?

Abstract

Aim

To evaluate the value of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) as a preoperative investigation in individuals without symptoms of Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) who will undergo laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG).

Materials and methods

After Institutional Review Board approval was obtained, patients scheduled for LSG were prospectively enrolled in the study between January 2016 and March 2018. Patients with symptoms of GERD were excluded from the study. Participants were randomly allocated to two groups: individuals who underwent EGD before the surgery as a usual routine investigation (Group A), and individuals who were scheduled without preoperative EGD (Group B). Patient demographics, endoscopic findings, endoscopic biopsy results, and histopathological findings of the resected parts of the stomach after LSG were analyzed and recorded. Additionally, operative characteristics and outcomes, and follow up findings were recorded and analyzed with appropriate statistical methods.

Results

A total of 219 individuals without symptoms of GERD underwent LSG were enrolled. Group A included 111 individuals (25 males and 86 females). Group B comprised 108 individuals (20 males and 88 females). The mean age and mean Body Mass Index (BMI) were similar in both groups. From Group A, 86 out of 111 individuals (77.5%) had no pathology identified on EGD, while 21 individuals (18.9%) were found to have areas of gastric erythema and biopsies showed active gastritis. All LSG operations were performed without any major complication. After one year, all individuals were assessed for the presence of symptomatic GERD and no significant difference was found between the two groups.

Conclusion

Preoperative EGD may not be mandatory for asymptomatic GERD individuals undergoing LSG as post-operative complications and early follow up for GERD symptoms are not significantly different. Further prospective studies with longer follow up are needed to evaluate the role of EGD in individuals undergoing LSG.

Keywords:

• esophagogastroduodenoscopy
• GERD
• obesity
• laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

Acknowledgments

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Abbreviation list

EGD, Esophago-Gastro-Duodenoscoy; GERD, Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease; LSG, Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy; BMI, Body Mass Index; PPIs, Pump Inhibitors; KAUH, King Abdullah University Hospital.

Data availability

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author.

Ethics and patient consent

Written informed consent was obtained from the patients for publication. Institutional approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board at Jordan University of Science and Technology. This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.