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Test Characteristics of Abdominal Computed Tomography for the Diagnosis of Gastro-gastric Fistula in Patients with Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

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Abstract

Introduction

Gastrogastric fistulae (GGF) occur in 1–6% of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) patients. Many patients undergo abdominal computed tomography (CT) as an initial test owing to its wide availability; however, CT diagnostic accuracy for GGF is unclear. Our aim was to evaluate test characteristics of abdominal CT compared to upper gastrointestinal series (UGI) and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for diagnosing GGF using surgery as a gold standard.

Methods

Retrospective review of RYGB patients who underwent abdominal CT with oral contrast within 1 year. Demographics, weight parameters, and symptoms were collected. Surgery within 1 year of the diagnostic tests was included as the gold standard comparison. Primary outcomes included CT sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy (DA) for GGF.

Results

One hundred thirty-seven patients were included, where 42 (30.1%) had positive CT and 95 (69.3%) had negative CT for GGF. Compared to surgical confirmation, CT abdomen with PO contrast had sensitivity of 73.1% (59–84.4), specificity of 95.2% (88.3–98.7), PPV 90.5% (77.4–97.3), NPV of 85.1% (76.3–91.2), and DA 89.7%. UGI series had sensitivity of 58.5% (42.1–73.7), specificity of 98.8% (93.5–99.9), PPV of 96% (79.7–99.9), NPV of 82.8% (73.9–89.7), and diagnostic accuracy (DA) of 85.4%. EGD had sensitivity of 78.3% (63.6–89.1), specificity of 98.8% (93.5–99.9), PPV 97.3 (85.8–99.9), and DA 91.5%. There were no significant differences in diagnostic test characteristics among modalities.

Conclusions

Abdominal CT with oral contrast has similar diagnostic test characteristics to UGI and EGD at detecting GGF when using surgical diagnosis as a gold standard.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Russell D. Dolan, Ahmad Najdat Bazarbashi, Pichamol Jirapinyo & Christopher C. Thompson

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  2. Ahmad Najdat Bazarbashi
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Correspondence to Christopher C. Thompson.

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Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. For this type of study, formal consent is not required. Informed consent does not apply.

Conflict of Interest

Russell D. Dolan, MD: No conflicts of interest to report.

Ahmad Najdat Bazarbashi, MD: No conflicts of interest to report.

Pichamol Jirapinyo, MD, MPH: Has the following disclosures: Apollo Endosurgery, Research Support; Fractyl, Research Support; GI Dynamics, Research Support; Endogastric Solutions, Consultant.

Christopher C. Thompson MD, MSc, AGAF, FACG, FASGE, FJGES: Has the following disclosures: Apollo Endosurgery, Consultant/Research Support (Consulting fees/Institutional Research Grants); Aspire Bariatrics, Research Support (Institutional Research Grant); BlueFlame Healthcare Venture Fund, General Partner; Boston Scientific, Consultant (Consulting fees); Covidien/Medtronic, Consultant (Consulting Fees); EnVision Endoscopy (Board Member); Fractyl, Consultant/Advisory Board Member (Consulting Fees); GI Dynamics, Consultant (Consulting Fees)/Research Support (Institutional Research Grant); GI Windows, Ownership interest; Olympus/Spiration, Consultant (Consulting Fees)/Research Support (Equipment Loans); Spatz, Research Support (Institutional Research Grant); USGI Medical, Consultant (Consulting Fees)/Advisory Board Member (Consulting fees)/Research Support (Research Grant).

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Dolan, R.D., Bazarbashi, A.N., Jirapinyo, P. et al. Test Characteristics of Abdominal Computed Tomography for the Diagnosis of Gastro-gastric Fistula in Patients with Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. OBES SURG 31, 2471–2476 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-021-05296-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-021-05296-y

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