Incidence and Risk Factors of In-Hospital Gastrointestinal-Related Complications Following Bariatric Surgery: A Retrospective Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database Study.

BACKGROUND

Obesity is associated with numerous serious physiological and psychological health problems. Bariatric surgery (BS) remains the most effective treatment for obesity, but early postoperative gastrointestinal complications may require additional surgical intervention. The objective of this study was to analyze gastrointestinal-related complications (GRCs) and their risk factors following BS, including sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), using a nationwide database.

METHODS

An analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample data from 2010 to 2019 was conducted to compare patients following BS with versus without postoperative GRCs. Variables included demographics, hospital characteristics, length of stay, costs, comorbidities, and complications. Risk factors were identified through stepwise multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among 323,066 BS patients, 12,248 (3.79%) developed GRCs, with a decreasing trend observed over the study period. Common complications included gastrointestinal bleeding (1.37%), bowel obstruction (1.84%), and anastomotic issues (0.99%). Significant risk factors included advanced age, anemia (deficiency and chronic blood loss), cardiovascular conditions (heart failure, valve disease, peripheral vascular disorders), coagulation abnormalities, rheumatoid arthritis or collagen vascular diseases, drug abuse, electrolyte imbalances, neurological conditions, renal failure, non-bleeding peptic ulcer disease, and weight loss. Interestingly, liver disease emerged as a risk factor for GRCs after SG while acting as a protective factor for GRCs after RYGB.

CONCLUSION

Understanding the risk factors for GRCs after BS would allow for improved patient management and clinical outcomes.