Early jejunojejunostomy obstruction after laparoscopic gastric bypass: case series and treatment algorithm

To review our experience with early jejunojejunostomy obstruction (JJO) at a large academic teaching hospital and provide a management algorithm. Early JJO is a known and often overlooked complication of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

From 2003 to 2007, 1097 patients underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass at our institution. Data, including patient demographics, co-morbidities, intraoperative data, peri- and postoperative complications, and outcomes, were prospectively recorded and retrospectively reviewed.

Early post-laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass JJO occurred in 13 patients (1.2%). The average time to presentation was 15 days (range 5-27). Patients presented with a combination of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain; all underwent computed tomography to confirm the diagnosis. The causes of JJO included dietary noncompliance (46%), anastomotic edema (23%), narrowing of the jejunojejunostomy at surgery (23%), and luminal clot (8%). Management was determined using our proposed treatment algorithm. Three patients (23%) required operative intervention, with the remainder successfully treated conservatively.

From our experience, we propose a treatment algorithm for standardized management of early JJO, reserving reoperation for those who are acutely ill on presentation or those in whom conservative management fails. A review of our series using this algorithm has suggested that most patients can be successfully treated nonoperatively; however, bariatric surgeons must maintain a low threshold for surgical re-intervention in cases in which rapid recovery is not seen.