RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Obesity is a long-standing health issue in Saudi Arabia, known to be associated with various complications. The management of obesity encompasses both non-surgical and surgical interventions, such as sleeve gastrectomy. Although sleeve gastrectomy is one of the effective options for individuals with morbid obesity, it is not without potential complications. This study aims to examine the outcomes of patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. METHODS: A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted on adult patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy at King Fahad General Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between January 2017 and July 2022. RESULTS: Among the 561 adult patients in the study, 53.5% were classified as having class III obesity, and 74.2% had comorbidities. Complications observed following the procedure included leaking (3.2%), symptomatic gallstone disease (2.9%), internal hernia (1.8%), and readmission (2.1%). There were no cases of bleeding, aspiration pneumonia, or mortality reported. Leakage and gallstone disease were more prevalent among patients classified as class I and II obesity, respectively, while internal hernia and readmission were more frequently observed in patients with class III obesity. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a viable procedure for managing obesity, as it is associated with minimal complications and no recorded mortality.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection is prevalent among Saudi adults and has been linked to gastric cancer and other tumor-like conditions. We aimed to explore the pathological characteristics of endoscopic gastric biopsies among symptomatic adult Saudi patients and their relation to H. pylori infection. RESULTS: Among 151 gastric biopsies, gastritis was detected in 97 (64.2%) cases, chronic active gastritis in 26 patients (17.2%), duodenitis in 20 (13.2%) patients, and total metaplasia in 14 (9.3%) patients. H. pylori was detected in 83 cases (55%), with a recurrence or reinfection rate of 9.8%. The patients with H. pylori infection were considerably young (median age: 34 (IQR: 15) vs. 35.5 (IQR: 11), p = 0.024) and had a low frequency of epigastric pain (78.3% vs. 91.2%, p = 0.031), reflux/regurgitation (7.2% vs. 20.6%, p = 0.016), and dysphagia (4.85% vs. 14.7%, p = 0.037). However, they exhibited a higher incidence of chronic active gastritis (96.2% vs. 3.8%, p < 0.001) and intestinal metaplasia (85.7% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.015). Young age (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.02-1.16, p = 0.011) and H. pylori infection (OR = 30.85, 95% CI = 3.26-291.60, p = 0.003) were identified as a positive predictor of intestinal metaplasia while heartburn (OR = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.01-0.58, p = 0.012) was a negative predictor. CONCLUSION: H. pylori infection is prevalent among Saudi adults experiencing upper gastrointestinal symptoms and is associated with intestinal metaplasia. Infection rate and intestinal metaplasia were higher in patients with milder symptoms. Therefore, screening for H. pylori is highly recommended for Saudi individuals with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Old age and H. pylori infection were identified as positive predictors of intestinal metaplasia, emphasizing the importance of early detection and management of H. pylori infection in the Saudi population.