Prognostic Factors for Morbimortality in Sleeve Gastrectomy. The Importance of the Learning Curve. A Spanish-Portuguese Multicenter Study.

Background: Complications in sleeve gastrectomy (SG) can cast a shadow over the technique's good results and compromise its safety. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors for complications, and especially those that can potentially be modified to improve safety.

Methods: A retrospective multicenter cohort study was carried out, involving the participation of 29 hospitals. Data was collected on demographic variables, associated comorbidities, technical modifications, the surgeon's experience, and postoperative morbimortality. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out on risk factors (RFs) for the complications of leak/fistula, hemoperitoneum, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and death.

Results: The following data were collected for 2882 patients: age, 43.85 ± 11.6. 32.9 % male; BMI 47.22 ± 8.79; 46.2 % hypertensive; 29.2 % diabetes2; 18.2 % smokers; bougie calibre ≥40 F 11.1 %; complications 11.7 % (2.8 % leaks, 2.7 % hemoperitoneum, 1.1 % pneumonia, 0.2 % pulmonary embolism); and death 0.6 %. RFs for complications were as follows: surgeon's experience < 20 patients, OR 1.72 (1.32-2.25); experience > 100 patients, OR 0.78 (0.69-0.87); DM2, OR1.48(1.12-1.95); probe > 40 F, OR 0.613 (0.429-0.876). Leak RFs were the following: smoking, OR1.93 (1.1-3.41); surgeon's experience < 20 patients, OR 2.4 (1.46-4.16); experience of 20-50 patients, OR 2.5 (1.3-4.86); experience >100 patients, OR 0.265 (0.11-0.63); distance to pylorus > 4 cm, OR 0.510 (0.29-0.91). RFs for death were as follows: smoking, OR 8.64 (2.63-28.34); DM2, OR 3.25 (1.1-9.99); distance to pylorus < 5 cm, OR 6.62 (1.63-27.02).

Conclusions: The safety of SG may be compromised by nonmodifiable factors such as age >65, patient comorbidities (DM2, hypertension), and prior treatment with anticoagulants, as well as by modifiable factors such as smoking, bougie size <40 F, distance to the pylorus <4 cm, and the surgeon's experience (<50-100 cases).