Bariatric Surgery is feasible in patients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

BACKGROUND

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a heterogeneous disease affecting connective tissues. EDS patients have a high susceptibility for developing anastomotic leak after visceral surgery. Although patients with EDS can also develop severe obesity and might be referred to bariatric surgery, there is just 1 case report in the literature regarding the outcomes of bariatric surgery in this specific context.

OBJECTIVE

To report the cases of patients with EDS and severe obesity that underwent bariatric surgery.

SETTING

Five French hospitals (University Hospital of Nantes, APHP Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital, APHP Bichat Hospital, Clinique St Gregoire Rennes, and Clinique Mutualiste de l'Estuaire St Nazaire).

METHODS

We report the cases of 7 patients with EDS and severe obesity who underwent surgery.

RESULTS

All patients showed classical postoperative course except for 1 case of excessive bleeding. There was no increased pain, leak, and solid parietal healing was achieved in all patients at 1 month postoperatively. The percent excess weight loss at 1 and 6 months were 13.9 ± 3.8% and 45.3 ± 16%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that bariatric surgery is a relevant and apparently safe surgical option to consider in severely obese patients with EDS.