Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity: Is It an Easy Procedure?

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is currently the most performed bariatric procedure in the world. The 4th International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) Global registry report (2014-18) estimates 87,015 procedures, equal to 45.9% of all bariatric procedures. Initially performed as the first step of the duodenals witch (biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD-DS)), a very complex malabsorptive procedure invented by a Canadian Surgeon P. Marceau as an evolution of the BPD, invented by N. Scopinaro, an Italian surgeon, LSG established itself in the early 2000s as a stand alone procedure, especially following the observations of Michael Gagner, pioneer of bariatric surgery. Over the years LSG has grown rapidly. The reasons for this popularity are the relative technical simplicity compared to other procedures, efficacy, good quality. For these reasons there has been a real explosion of bariatric surgery: many surgeons, driven by the relative simplicity of the procedure (longitudinal gastrectomy on the guide of a probe), begun to propose this procedure. So is LSG really an effective simple procedure that is good for all patients? Absolutely not. Performing a longitudinal gastrectomy can be simple; performing a good LSG is not.

Regional and sex differences in retinal detachment surgery: Japan-retinal detachment registry report

It is known that social factors affect the choice of treatments, and special attention has been paid to sex differences. The purpose of this study was to determine whether regional and sex differences exist in the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD). We used Japan-RD Registry database of 2523 patients aged ≥ 40 years between February 2016 and March 2017 in 5 Japanese regions. Regional differences of patients’ perioperative factors were analyzed. The factors affecting the proportion of patients who underwent surgery within one week of the onset, defined as early-surgery, were examined by logistic regression. We observed regional differences in perioperative factors, especially in the use of phacovitrectomy, general anesthesia, and air-tamponade, which was higher in certain regions. (Fisher’s exact test, all P = 0.012) The proportion of early-surgery was significantly higher among men in Kyushu region (Odds ratio (OR) 1.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08–3.12; P = 0.02), and it was also significantly higher after adjusting for covariates (OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.06–3.42; P = 0.02). Regional and sex differences exist in the treatment of RD in Japan. Although there was no significant differences in the anatomical outcomes, women in certain regions of Japan are less likely to receive early surgical intervention for RD.

National Bariatric Surgery Registries: an International Comparison

Introduction Pooling population-based data from all national bariatric registries may provide international real-world evidence for outcomes that will help establish a universal standard of care, provided that the same variables and definitions are used. Therefore, this study aims to assess the concordance of variables across national registries to identify which outcomes can be used for international collaborations. Methods All 18 countries with a national bariatric registry who contributed to The International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) Global Registry report 2019 were requested to share their data dictionary by email. The primary outcome was the percentage of perfect agreement for variables by domain: patient, prior bariatric history, screening, operation, complication, and follow-up. Perfect agreement was defined as 100% concordance, meaning that the variable was registered with the same definition across all registries. Secondary outcomes were defined as variables having “substantial agreement” (75–99.9%) and “moderate agreement” (50–74.9%) across registries. Results Eleven registries responded and had a total of 2585 recorded variables that were grouped into 250 variables measuring the same concept. A total of 25 (10%) variables have a perfect agreement across all domains: 3 (18.75%) for the patient domain, 0 (0.0%) for prior bariatric history, 5 (8.2%) for screening, 6 (11.8%) for operation, 5 (8.8%) for complications, and 6 (11.8%) for follow-up. Furthermore, 28 (11.2%) variables have substantial agreement and 59 (23.6%) variables have moderate agreement across registries. Conclusion There is limited uniform agreement in variables across national bariatric registries. Further alignment and uniformity in collected variables are required to enable future international collaborations and comparison. Graphical abstract

Canadian National Electrophysiology Ablation Registry Report 2011-2016

Background/Purpose: Interventional cardiac electrophysiology (EP) is a rapidly evolving field in Canada; a nationwide registry was established in 2011 to conduct a periodic review of resource allocation. Methods: The registry collects annual data on EP lab infrastructure, imaging, tools, human resources, procedural volumes, success rates, and wait times. Leading physicians from each EP lab were contacted electronically; participation was voluntary. Results: All Canadian EP centres were identified (n=30); 50% and 45% of active centres participated in the last 2 instalments of the registry. A mean of 508±270 standard and complex catheter ablation procedures were reported annually for 2015-2016 by all responding centres. The most frequently performed ablation targets atrial fibrillation (PVI) arrhythmia accounting for 36% of all procedures (mean=164±85). The number of full time physicians ranges between 1 and 7 per centre, (mean=4). The mean wait time to see an electrophysiologist for an initial non-urgent consult is 23 weeks. The wait time between an EP consult and ablation date is 17.8 weeks for simple ablation, and 30.1 weeks for AF ablation. On average centres have 2 (range: 1-4) rooms equipped for ablations; each centre uses the EP lab an average of 7 shifts per week. While diagnostic studies and radiofrequency ablations are performed in all centres, point-by-point cryoablation is available in 85% centres; 38% of the respondents use circular ablation techniques. Conclusion: This initiative provides contemporary data on invasive electrophysiology lab practices. The EP registry provides activity benchmarks on national trends and practices.