Excellent laparoscopic gastric bypass outcomes can be achieved at a community-based training hospital with moderate...

Our objective was to assess laparoscopic gastric bypass outcomes in a moderate case volume setting.

Laparoscopic gastric bypass remains one of the most advanced laparoscopic procedures currently performed worldwide. The following represents a single institutional series from a community hospital-based training program with a minimally invasive bariatric surgical program.

Data from all patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass since the inception of the program were entered into a prospective database. Measured outcomes included length of operation, length of stay, major and minor complications, and percentage excess weight loss. Results were compared with published outcomes from a review of the literature encompassing more than 3400 cases using chi and Fisher exact tests.

Between September 2001 and October 2008, 700 consecutive patients underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass. The mean age was 43.1 +/- 9.5 years, and 83% were female. The mean initial weight was 135.5 +/- 22.4 kg. The initial body mass index was 47.9 +/- 6 kg/m. The mean length of stay was 2.2 +/- 0.9 days. The length of operation was 147.8 +/- 31.8 minutes. The mean percent excess weight loss at 1-year postoperative was 72.4%. There were no mortalities. Compared with the literature, we achieved a lower rate of anastomotic leak (0.3% vs. 2%, P = 0.001) and stomal stenosis (1% vs. 4.7%, P = 0.001).

Excellent outcomes following laparoscopic gastric bypass can be achieved in a community hospital-based program with moderate case volume. Reimbursement decisions should take into consideration a program's actual outcomes rather than volume.