The use of a total bowel length measurement protocol may reduce reoperations and complications after...

Most surgeons who perform single-anastomosis duodeno-ileal switches (SADI-S) use a pre-determined common channel length without measuring total bowel length (TBL). However, TBL varies between patients, and a standardized common channel length could contribute to malabsorptive complications and reoperations following SADI-S. The purpose of this study was to determine whether using a TBL measurement protocol to individualize common channel length would be associated with reduced reoperations and complications.

A prospectively maintained data registry was retrospectively reviewed to identify all patients who underwent SADI-S between September 2017 and February 2022. In April 2021, we began using TBL measurements during SADI-S with 40% of the TBL used as the length for the common channel. Outcomes pre-TBL and post-TBL measurement protocol were compared.

A total of 119 SADI-S recipients (59 pre-TBL; 60 post-TBL) were included. The pre-TBL group had a higher frequency of reoperations (23.7% vs 1.7%, p < 0.001) and late complications (29.3% vs 3.3%, p < 0.001). The mean time to reoperation was 13.7 months in the pre-TBL group and 6.7 months in the post-TBL group (p = 0.347). Patients in the post-TBL group had significantly higher serum albumin levels at 3 months (4.2 g/dL vs 3.5 g/dL, p < 0.001), 6 months (4.1 g/dL vs 3.6 g/dL, p < 0.001), and 12 months (4.2 g/dL vs 3.8 g/dL, p = 0.023) postoperatively when compared to the pre-TBL group.

Using TBL measurements to individualize common channel length was associated with a significant reduction in reoperations and late complications following SADI-S.