The SAGES masters program presents the 10 seminal articles for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Background: The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) Masters Program includes eight distinct clinical pathways. The Bariatric Surgery Pathway focuses on three anchoring procedures, including the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) which is the most commonly performed bariatric procedure in the United States. In this article, we present and discuss the top 10 seminal articles regarding the LSG.

Surgeon experience with insurance barriers to offering gastric bypass as an evidence-based operation for pathologic GERD.

Introduction: Obesity is an increasingly prevalent public health problem often associated with poorly controlled gastroesophageal reflux disease. Fundoplication has been shown to have limited long-term efficacy in patients with morbid obesity and does not address additional weight-related co-morbidities. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is the gold standard operation for durable resolution of GERD in patients with obesity, and is also used as a salvage operation for GERD after prior foregut surgery.

Long-term outcomes after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: 10- to 13-year data.

Background: Short- and mid-term data on Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) indicate sustained weight loss and improvement in co-morbidities. Few long-term studies exist, some of which are outdated, based on open procedures or different techniques.

Objectives: To investigate long-term weight loss, co-morbidity remission, nutritional status, and complication rates among patients undergoing RYGB.

Weight loss outcomes among patients referred after primary bariatric procedure.

Background: Bariatric patients may not always obtain long-term care by their primary surgeon. Our aim was to evaluate weight loss outcomes in patients who had surgery elsewhere.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis.

Intraoperative leak testing has no correlation with leak after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Background: Staple line leak is a serious complication of sleeve gastrectomy. Intraoperative methylene blue and air leak tests are routinely used to evaluate for leak; however, the utility of these tests is controversial. We hypothesize that the practice of routine intraoperative leak testing is unnecessary during sleeve gastrectomy.

Surgical management and outcomes of patients with marginal ulcer after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Background: Marginal ulcers (MUs) are potentially complex complications after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Although most resolve with medical management, some require surgical intervention. Many surgical options exist, but there is no standardized approach, and few reports of outcomes have been documented in the literature.

Safety of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding with concurrent cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholelithiasis.

Background: The prevalence of cholelithiasis correlates with obesity. Patients often present for bariatric surgery with symptomatic cholelithiasis. There is a concern of cross-contamination when performing laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) with concurrent cholecystectomy.

Single-stage versus 2-stage sleeve gastrectomy as a conversion after failed adjustable gastric banding: 30-day outcomes.

Background: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is being performed as a conversion after adjustable gastric banding (AGB), often in a single stage. However, some argue that it should be performed in 2 stages to improve safety. Few studies compare complications between 1-stage and 2-stage procedures.

Safety and efficacy of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding in patients aged seventy and older.

Background: Life expectancy is increasing, with more elderly people categorized as obese. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) on patients aged ≥ 70 years.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patients aged ≥ 70 years who underwent LAGB at our university hospital between 2003 and 2011.

Sustained weight loss after gastric banding revision for pouch-related problems.

Objective: To assess the impact of revisional surgery after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) on weight loss at 12 and 24 months.

Background: There is no uniform consensus as to the optimal procedure for patients requiring revision after LAGB. Few studies address the issue of weight loss after band salvage procedures, despite this being a critical factor in deciding which reoperative procedure to choose.

Location and number of sutures placed for hiatal hernia repair during laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: does it matter?

Background: It has been demonstrated that hiatal hernia repair (HHR) during laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) decreases the rate of reoperation. However, the technical aspects (location and number of sutures) are not standardized. It is unknown whether such technical details are associated with differing rates of reoperation for band-related problems.

Single-incision laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is effective and safe: 756 cases in an academic medical center.

Background: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is safe and effective. This less invasive option involving fewer incisions and umbilical approaches is coined as single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS). Over the last 3 years, we performed 46 % of our LAGBs as SILS with excellent results.

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is one of several weight loss procedures in the bariatric surgeon's armamentarium to treat morbid obesity. Laparoscopic gastric banding has the lowest perioperative risk compared to laparoscopic gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and duodenal switch (Buchwald et al., JAMA 292:1724-1737, 2004).

Does adding a lesser-curvature gastrogastric plication suture reduce the need for revision after laparoscopic adjustable gastric band placement?

Background: The need for revision after laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) surgery has been reduced over the past 10 years with the introduction of the pars flaccida technique, delicate band tightening, and concurrent hiatal hernia repairs. However, band revision still occurs for as many as 5% of patients. Placement of a lesser-curvature gastrogastric suture distal to the band is one newer technique suggested to lower band slippage.

Impact of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding on pregnancy, maternal weight, and neonatal health.

Background: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is a proven method for weight reduction. Less is known about pregnancies in patients after LAGB.

Methods: Information was gathered, through database and survey, on women who underwent LAGB at NYU Medical Center between 2001 and 2008 then became pregnant.

Safety of the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band: 7-year data from a U.S. center of excellence.

Background: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has become one of the most common weight-loss procedures performed in the United States. The authors' high-volume academic medical center has gathered a database of almost 3,000 patients who have undergone LAGB since January 2001. The goal of this series, the largest to date on LAGB outcomes at a single institution, was to assess complications associated with LAGB.

Devastating injuries in healthcare workers: description of the crisis and legislative solution to the epidemic of back injury from patient lifting.

The purpose of this report is to describe a crisis in healthcare, disabling back injuries in US healthcare workers. In addition, outlined is the proven solution of safe, mechanized, patient lifting, which has been shown to prevent these injuries. A "Safe Patient Handling--No Manual Lift" policy must be immediately instituted throughout this country.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic donor hepatectomy for living related transplantation in the porcine model.

Use of a minimally invasive approach for donor nephrectomy has proven to be safe and feasible and has increased the pool of donors for living related renal transplantation. A porcine study to assess the safety and feasibility of performing laparoscopic donor hepatectomy was performed, with potential application to human liver donors for living related liver transplantation. Of the 10 50-kg pigs used, 2 underwent an open left lateral segmentectomy to define the pig anatomy.