Rates, Risks, and Time to Fracture in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy versus Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Objective:. To assess the rates, risks, and time to fracture in patients undergoing laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) versus those undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Summary Background Data:. Metabolic and bariatric surgery has been implicated in significant bone loss and may increase fracture risk. Preoperative patient characteristics that might impact fracture risk and the time to fractures have not been established. Furthermore, the patient characteristics that might impact fracture risk and the time to fractures by surgical approach are unknown. Methods:. This population-based retrospective cohort analysis used Humana claims data from January 1, 2007 to March 31, 2017, and included 4073 patients undergoing laparoscopic RYGB and VSG as a first surgical intervention for weight loss. The primary outcomes were the incidence of fractures (Humeral, Radial or Ulnar, Pelvic, Hip, and Vertebral) within 48 months after laparoscopic VSG versus RYGB and days to these fractures. Results:. An analysis of total fractures (odds ratio [OR] 0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38–0.73), vertebral fractures (OR 0.61; 95% CI, 0.38–0.99), hip fractures (OR 0.36; 95% CI, 0.15–0.84), and humeral fractures (OR 0.44; 95% CI, 0.22–0.90) demonstrated a reduction in fracture risk in patients undergoing VSG versus RYGB. Furthermore, postmenopausal status was independently associated with increased odds of total fractures and hip fractures (OR 2.18; 95% CI, 1.06–4.50; OR 5.83; 95% CI, 1.16–29.27; respectively). Likewise, osteoporosis at the time of surgery was associated with increased odds of total fractures (OR 1.61; 95% CI, 1.09–2.37), vertebral fractures (OR 2.01; 95% CI, 1.19–3.39), and hip fractures (OR 2.38; 95% CI, 1.19–4.77). Except for a significantly decreased odds of vertebral fractures in osteoporotic patients undergoing VSG versus RYGB (OR 0.41; 95% CI, 0.18–0.95), osteoporotic or postmenopausal status at the time of surgery was not found to increase odds of fracture depending on surgical intervention. However, time to fracture (total) and for all site-specific fractures, except for pelvic fractures, was significantly reduced in postmenopausal women undergoing RYGB versus VSG. Time to fracture (total) and for all site-specific fractures except pelvic and radial or ulnar fractures was significantly reduced in osteoporotic patients undergoing RYGB versus VSG. Conclusions and Relevance:. Though bariatric surgery is associated with several health-related benefits, increased fracture risk is an important factor to discuss with patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery strategy, RYGB versus VSG, carries a differential risk of fracture, with RYGB carrying a higher risk of fracture and decreased time to fracture. Furthermore, patients who are postmenopausal or osteoporotic at the time of surgery carry an increased risk of total fractures, independent of bariatric surgery strategy. Being mindful of patient-specific fracture risk after bariatric surgery may help anticipate, identify, and prevent fractures

Cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma: case report

Merkel cell carcinoma is an unusual cutaneous malignancy with a propensity for spreading to regional lymph nodes, with recurrence at original site or/and in lymph node. Occurring most often on the head and neck of the elderly patients. Complete surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment of the primary tumor. A case is here described of an old patient with more than one local relapse and in regional lymph nodes too, complete surgical resected, actually in good state of health, treated with radiotherapy

Adipogenic differentiation of adipose tissue-derived human mesenchymal stem cells: effect of gastric bypass surgery

BACKGROUND: Adipose tissue dysfunction is an important feature of obesity characterized by enlarged adipocytes and marked changes in secretion of cytokines. These changes result in insulin resistance, chronic vascular inflammation, oxidative stress, and activation of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS), eventually leading to type 2 diabetes, obesity-related hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Several trials have shown that bariatric surgery significantly reduces these comorbidities. However, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the mechanisms whereby bariatric surgery reduces the burden of CVD in obese individuals. METHOD: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated from adipose tissue collected from three groups: (1) nonobese control subjects, (2) obese subjects undergoing gastric bypass surgery (GBS), and (3) subjects 1 year or more after GBS. In the study, MSCs were induced to adipogenic differentiation, and RAS-related gene expressions were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The effect of angiotensin II (Ang II) on adipogenic differentiation of MSCs also was investigated. RESULTS: Angiotensinogen mRNA levels in MSCs and differentiated adipocytes were significantly higher in the obese group than in the nonobese control subjects. Renin mRNA levels were significantly higher in the obese group MSCs than in the nonobese and post-GBS groups. Angiotensin–converting enzyme mRNA levels were significantly lower in the MSCs derived from the post-GBS group than in the obese and nonobese control subjects. Serum Ang II levels were significantly lower in the post-GBS group (52.1 ± 4.2 pg/ml) than in the nonobese (85.4 ± 12.4 pg/ml) and obese (84.7 ± 10.0 pg/ml) groups. Ang II treatment inhibited adipogenesis of MSCs in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of Ang II was mainly abolished by PD123319, a receptor 2 blocker. CONCLUSIONS: The adipogenesis of MSCs is inhibited by Ang II treatment. Obese individuals are characterized by an upregulation of the RAS-related gene expressions in adipose tissue. This upregulation resolves in post-GBS subjects