Outcomes, controversies and gastric volume after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in the treatment of obesity

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a surgical procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity. However, there are still controversies regarding its efficiency in terms of weight reduction and incidence of complications. In this prospective study, the experience is presented of a referral centre for the treatment of morbid obesity with laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. A prospective study on 73 patients subjected to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy from February 2009 to September 2013. Patients were followed-up for a period of 12 months, evaluating the development of complications, reduction of gastric volume, and the weight loss associated with the surgery, as well as their impact on the improvement of comorbidities present at beginning of the study. There was a statistically a significantly reduction between the preoperative body mass index (BMI) and the BMI at 12 months after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (p < 0.001), despite there being an increase in the gastric volume during follow-up, measured at one month and 12 months after surgery (p < 0.001). Five patients (6.85%) had complications, with none of them serious and with no deaths in the whole series. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of morbid obesity. Its use is associated with a significant reduction in the presence of comorbidities associated with obesity. Multicentre studies with a longer period of monitoring are required to confirm the efficacy and safety of this surgical technique.