Preoperative Helicobacter pylori Screening and Treatment in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Background The role of preoperative screening and treatment of Helicobacter pylori (HP) in asymptomatic patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) remains unclear. This study aims to define the preoperative prevalence and management of HP and their effect on postoperative outcomes at our institution. Materials and Methods We reviewed the medical records and surgical specimens of all LSG performed at an academic centre in Toronto, ON between 2010 and 2017. Results Review of our institutional database identified 222 patients that underwent LSG, of which 200 had preoperative HP screening: 18% tested positive and 15% were treated. Seven surgical specimens were HP-positive (3.2%). No association was found between preoperative HP status, treatment or HP-positive specimen and postoperative complications at 1 year. Conclusion Although preoperative screening and treatment likely reduce the prevalence of HP in LSG specimens, our findings suggest that they may be of limited clinical value in LSG as they have little influence on surgical morbidity.