The Utility of EndoFLIP for Measuring Gastrojejunal Anastomosis Diameter and Distensibility in Patients Experiencing Weight Regain Post Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Obes Surg. 2021 Jul;31(7):3353-3359. doi: 10.1007/s11695-021-05302-3. Epub 2021 Mar 1.

Abstract

A dilated gastrojejunal anastomosis (GJA) diameter is an independent predictor of weight regain following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Despite this, there is no standardized method for GJA diameter measurement. We performed a retrospective analysis to compare endoscopic visual estimation and endoluminal functional impedance planimetry (EndoFLIP) for measuring GJA diameter in patients with weight regain post-RYGB. Visual estimation was found to overestimate GJA diameter by a mean of 4.2mm ± 4.6mm when compared with EndoFLIP. Furthermore, we identified symptomatic patients with normal GJA diameter but increased distensibility, which may represent a previously unrecognized subgroup. Our findings suggest the potential utility of EndoFLIP in the evaluation of post-RYGB weight regain and support the need for prospective studies to investigate the relationship between GJA distensibility and weight regain.

Keywords: EndoFLIP; GJA diameter; GJA distensibility; RYGB; Weight regain.

MeSH terms

  • Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y
  • Electric Impedance
  • Gastric Bypass*
  • Humans
  • Obesity, Morbid* / surgery
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reoperation
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Weight Gain