PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Falk, Vanessa
AU  - Twells, Laurie
AU  - Gregory, Deborah
AU  - Murphy, Raleen
AU  - Smith, Chris
AU  - Boone, Darrell
AU  - Pace, David
TI  - Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy at a new bariatric surgery centre in Canada: 30-day complication rates using the Clavien–Dindo classification
AID  - 10.1503/cjs.016815
DP  - 2016 Apr 01
TA  - Canadian Journal of Surgery
PG  - 93--97
VI  - 59
IP  - 2
4099  - http://canjsurg.ca/content/59/2/93.short
4100  - http://canjsurg.ca/content/59/2/93.full
SO  - CAN J SURG2016 Apr 01; 59
AB  - Background: Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) has the highest rate of obesity in Canada, prompting the establishment of a bariatric surgery program at the Health Sciences Centre in NL. This retrospective study examined 30-day complication rates in more than 200 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) between May 2011 and February 2014.Methods: We performed a chart review and collected data on 30-day postoperative complications. Complications were graded and reported using the Clavien–Dindo classification. Grades I and II were defined as minor and grades III and higher were defined as major complications.Results: We reviewed the charts of the first 209 patients to undergo LSG. The mean body mass index was 49.2, 81% were women and the average age was 43 years. Comorbidities included hypertension (55.0%), obstructive sleep apnea (46.4%), dyslipidemia (42.1%), diabetes (37.3%), osteoarthritis (36.4%) and cardiovascular disease with previous cardiac stents (5.3%). Furthermore, 38.3% of patients reported psychiatric diagnoses, such as depression and anxiety. The overall 30-day complication rate was 15.3%. The complication rate for minor complications was 13.4% and for major complications was 1.9% (2 leaks, 1 stricture and 1 fistula).Conclusion: Our results support the feasibility of safely performing LSG surgery at bariatric centres completing fewer than 125 procedures annually.