Surgical management of marginal ulcer sequelae after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a single-center retrospective cohort...

Marginal ulcer (MU) is a rare complication following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB). If left untreated, MU can progress into severe sequelae, including ulcer stenosis, gastrogastric fistula (GGF), or perforation. The aim of this study is to describe the surgical management for each of the three types of MU sequelae and to evaluate the risk of ulcer recurrence and the impact on weight loss following Revisional Bariatric Surgery (RBS).

A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent RBS for MU sequelae between October 2008 and October 2024 was conducted. Patients' demographics, perioperative outcomes, weight loss, and ulcer recurrence were compared between the three types of MU sequelae.

Sixty-six patients were included. Thirty-nine percent had ulcer stenosis, 30.3% had GGF, and 30.3% had perforation. The mean time in years from RYGB to the RBS was 6.9 years for patients with stenosis, 17.5 years for those with GGF, and 5.3 years for those with perforation. Epigastric pain, nausea, and vomiting were common, and PO intolerance was mainly seen in ulcer stenosis. Operative time varied significantly, with the GGF group having the longest duration (p = 0.001). This group also showed higher rates of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 3 complications and reinterventions (p = 0.01). Five-year follow-up showed that patients with GGF had the greatest percentage of total weight loss (p = 0.007), while patients with ulcer stenosis experienced weight regain during the first two years and slight weight regain at the later follow-up. The overall ulcer recurrence was 32.4%, with no significant differences observed in recurrence rates among them (p = 0.98).

Managing MU after RYGB requires comprehensive diagnosis, including upper GI endoscopy, swallow study, and abdominal CT, to assess anatomical abnormalities. While surgery is effective, the recurrence of ulcers remains a risk. Patients with stenosis often regain weight after redo gastrojejunostomy, whereas those with GGF tended to lose weight after RBS.