Outcome and Adverse Events of Endoscopic Bariatric Stents for Management of Leakage after Bariatric Surgery

Introduction Bariatric leakage (BL) is a serious complication with a variety in available treatment options. Endoscopic stenting is preferred because of its minimally invasive nature in morbidly obese patients. Various modifications have been applied to stents since its use in palliation of malignant strictures. Few studies have exclusively evaluated the efficacy of bariatric stents in management BL. Methods A retrospective cohort study of patients with BL managed by bariatric stents in the period between July 2014 and January 2019. The primary outcome was the clinical success in healing of leakage and secondary outcomes included adverse events (AEs), hospital stay and procedure-related mortality. Results Forty-five patients were included in this study. Clinical success occurred in 33 patients (73.3%). There was no stent-related mortality. The most frequent stent-related complications were reflux (62.2%), intolerance (55.6%), and migration (17.8%). Severe AEs occurred in 9 patients (20%). The overall complications rate was higher in diabetic patients (P = 0.048). Intolerance was significantly associated with shorter interval to management (P = 0.02). Stent migration was higher in male patients (P = 0.019) and higher BMI (P = 0.024). Conclusion Endoscopic stenting is a double-edged weapon that must be handled cautiously. It is a highly effective therapy, and early intervention is the main determinant of its efficacy. But it is not a treatment without complications (80%). The variant and high prevalence of complications mandates a strict follow-up throughout the stenting duration.