Intraoperative endoscopy and leaks after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Postoperative leaks after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) are a source of morbidity and mortality. Any intervention that would decrease leak rates after LRYGB would be useful. This investigation tested the hypothesis that postoperative leak rates are lower after LRYGB with the routine use of intraoperative endoscopy (EN). Consecutive patients who underwent LRYGB were included. Intraoperative leak testing with air and methylene blue through an orogastric tube (OG) was used in the first 200 patients. Intraoperative endoscopy was used after the first 200 patients. There were 400 patients in this study. Preoperative demographics did not differ between groups. The intraoperative leak rate of the EN group was double the OG group (8 vs 4%; P = not significant), although the difference was not statistically significant. The OG group had a postoperative leak rate of 4 per cent with a mortality rate of 1 per cent. The EN group had a postoperative leak rate of 0.5 per cent with a mortality rate of 0 per cent. The difference in leak rates was statistically significant (P < 0.04). Despite the issues of learning curve, EN demonstrates more intraoperative leaks than OG, indicating EN may be a more sensitive test than OG. Routine use of EN is associated with less postoperative leaks after LRYGB.