Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy versus laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in the pediatric population: a MBSAQIP analysis

The growing prevalence of childhood obesity has resulted in an increased number of children and adolescents who undergo bariatric surgery. The safety of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) remains controversial in the pediatric population. To assess the safety of LSG compared with LRYGB in patients aged ≤21 years. A retrospective analysis of the 2016 to 2017 Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database. Patients aged ≤21 years who underwent LSG or LRYGB were identified in the 2016 to 2017 Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database. A logistic regression model was used to create a 1:1 propensity-score matched cohort adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and obesity-related co-morbidities. Unmatched and propensity-score matched analyses were performed to compare baseline characteristics and outcome data between LSG and LRYGB procedure groups. Primary outcomes of interest included 30-day major complications, such as death, reoperation, and anastomotic leak. Of 3571 patients included in our study, 2911 (81.52%) underwent LSG and 660 (18.48%) underwent LRYGB. Patients who underwent LRYGB had an increased body mass index and a higher rate of obesity-related co-morbidities. The LRYGB group had a significantly increased rate of major complications within the first 30 days in both the unmatched cohort (4.55% versus 1.34%, P < .001) and the propensity-score matched cohort (4.57% versus .91%, P < .001). LSG and LRYGB are both relatively safe to perform in the pediatric population with acceptable complication rates and low mortality. However, LSG demonstrated a significantly decreased rate of major complications in the first 30 days compared with LRYGB.