Residual Gastric Volume Relationship and Weight Loss After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has become a popular procedure for treating obesity. Excessive residual gastric volume (RGV) may be one cause of insufficient weight loss following this surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between weight loss and the RGV measured during surgery over a 2-year follow-up period.

All patients undergoing LSG at our university surgery department were included in this prospective observational study. During the operation, the pylorus was grasped with a laparoscopic clamp, and saline solution dyed with methylene blue was introduced using an intraluminal glass-tipped injector when the residual stomach became fully visible. The amount of fluid given when the remaining gastric tissue ceased expanding was noted. The patients were divided into three groups depending on the volume of the residual gastric tissue. Percentages of excess weight loss (EWL%) were also evaluated 6, 12, and 24 months after the LSG.

Sixty-two patients (50 females and 12 males) with a mean age of 36 (17-56) years were included in the study. There was no significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative body mass index values (p = 0.407 and p = 0.337, respectively) or between the preoperative and postoperative weight (p = 0.081 and p = 0.517, respectively) among the groups. A comparison of the participants' weight losses and EWL% values after 6, 12, and 24 months of follow-up revealed no significant difference among the groups at any time point (p > 0.005).

Greater weight loss was observed as the RGV decreased over the 24-month follow-up period. However, that weight loss was not statistically significant.