Splenic Ischemia in Adolescent Sleeve Gastrectomy

Background With rising childhood obesity rates, the sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is the most common bariatric surgery procedure. This surgical technique may result in ischemia to the upper pole of the spleen. While generally self-limiting, splenic ischemia may have similar postoperative symptoms to more severe complications. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 142 surgical videos and medical records from adolescents at our center who underwent SG from 2010 through 2018. The videos were evaluated for splenic ischemia and for the presence of separate segmental polar accessory vessels. The medical records were reviewed for postoperative symptoms of left shoulder pain, fever, leukocytosis, and tachycardia. Results We found a 31% incidence of splenic ischemia in the cases reviewed. We identified division of segmental vessels to the upper pole as increasing the relative risk of splenic ischemia by 2.3 ( p = 0.0055). Immediate ischemic changes noted in the upper pole of the spleen did not correlate with any postoperative symptoms or complications. Conclusion The incidence of splenic ischemia during an SG in our adolescent population was higher than in other reports. Division of separate polar vessels increased the incidence of localized splenic ischemia. Our findings suggest that splenic ischemia is incidental during an SG in adolescents and does not manifest any clinical significance. Graphical abstract