Conversion of an Open Salmon's Technique to a Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass

There are a growing number of patients who require revisional bariatric surgery due to the failure of their primary procedures. The aim of this video is to present a laparoscopic revisional procedure for dysphagia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after an uncommonly performed bariatric surgery, Salmon's technique, consisting of a vertical banded gastroplasty and a horizontal stomach stapling with a Roux-en-Y bypass.

A 42-year-old obese male, with a history of dyslipidemia and a current body mass index (BMI) of 33, presented with severe dysphagia to solids and frequent spitting 10 years after the primary bariatric surgery (Salmon's procedure) with a BMI of 43. Endoscopy revealed a hiatal hernia. The endoscope passed down without difficulty to the antrum-duodenum and to efferent loop of the small bowel, demonstrating the presence of a fistula in the horizontal stapling of the stomach. Helicobacter pylori was negative. Esophageal transit showed the contrast passing adequately through the esophagogastric junction. Esophageal manometry revealed a hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter (mean pressure of 8 mmHg) and an ineffective peristalsis (40% of waves with normal amplitude and duration). Esophageal pHmetry showed severe GERD with a DeMeester score of 88.5 and a pH less than four, 18.7% of the total time. The patient was on PPIs at the time of symptom evaluation, but stopped the treatment before the performance of the pH study. Laparoscopic conversion to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was successfully performed. An extensive adhesiolysis was needed. The esophageal hiatus was dissected and the stomach was partially descended to reduce the hiatal hernia. A subsequent hiatal closure was performed. The efferent loop of the small bowel was freed from the gastric pouch. The new gastric pouch was performed stapling superiorly to the gastric ring and medially to the vertical gastroplasty. The new gastrojejunal anastomosis was performed using a mechanical linear stapler, in an antecolic fashion, and checked for leaks using methylene blue dye.

The procedure took 300 min and no intraoperative complications occurred. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course, with a hospital stay of 4 days. One month after the revisional surgery, the patient presented with a stenosis of the gastrojejunal anastomosis, which was successfully solved after two endoscopic dilations. A year and a half after revisional surgery, the patient is completely asymptomatic, has a BMI of 29, and dyslipidemia as the only comorbidity.

Salmon's technique is an uncommon bariatric procedure. Revisional surgery might be needed in case of late complications, like dysphagia and reflux, as it was the case in our patient. In addition, a fistula in the previous horizontal partitioning of the stomach was present. Laparoscopic conversion from Salmon's technique to a gastric bypass was decided. This procedure was successful in solving patient's symptoms and resulted in an increased weight lost. Laparoscopic revisional surgery after an open Salmon's technique is a complex procedure with an increased risk of complications. Our patient developed an anastomotic stenosis 1 month after surgery, probably due to the use of the same gauge as in non-fibrotic tissues.