Vacuum Therapy and Internal Drainage as the First-Line Endoscopic Treatment for Post-Bariatric Leaks: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Several endoscopic methods can be employed to manage post-bariatric leaks. However, endoluminal vacuum therapy (EVT) and endoscopic internal drainage (EID) are relatively new methods, and studies regarding these methods are scarce. We performed a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of EVT and EID. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Databases were searched for eligible studies. The clinical success of leak closure was the primary outcome of interest. A proportional meta-analysis was performed for pooling the primary outcome using a fixed-effects model. A meta-analysis or descriptive analysis of other outcomes was performed based on the data availability. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Data from 3 EVT and 10 EID studies (<i>n</i> = 279) were used for evidence synthesis. The leak closure rates (95% confidence interval [CI]) of EVT and EID were 85.2% (75.1%–95.4%) and 91.6% (88.1%–95.2%), respectively. The corresponding mean treatment durations (95% CI) were 28 (2.4–53.6) and 78.4 (50.1–106.7) days, respectively. However, data about other outcomes were extremely limited; thus, a pooled analysis could not be performed. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Both EVT and EID were effective when used as the first-line treatment for post-bariatric leaks. However, larger studies must be conducted to compare the efficacy of the 2 interventions.