Endoscopic Septotomy as a Treatment for Chronic Leak after Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Acute leakage after sleeve gastrectomy progresses into chronic leakage by 10-28.1%, which causes the surgeon to be disturbed. The main treatment for chronic leakage is surgery, but the authors report successful care with endoscopic septotomy. Forty-one year old female patient with a BMI of 42.8 (161.6 cm/111.8 kg) underwent a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. The leakage of the proximal part of the staple resection line was verified in the abdominal CT on the fourth day after the procedure due to pain in the left shoulder that could not be clarified. After appropriate treatment including stent, the patient ended the acute leakage treatment 150 days after surgery. However, the patient was visited for 10 months after removed percutaneous catheter drainage due to fever and pain in the left shoulder. Afterwards, chronic leakage was confirmed from the CT and endoscopy at POD 15 months. We performed endoscopic treatment in the operating room under general anesthesia. At the gastroesophageal junction, we could find chronic leak orifice and bridging fold between stomach lumen and abscess pocket. Endoscopic septotomy was performed with the endoscopic knife and electrosurgical surgical unit, until the stomach lumen and abscess pockets were fully in communication. After the patient was discharged without any complications and is currently under close observation. Endoscopic septotomy as a treatment for chronic leak is feasible and safe. Herein, we report this case with video clip.