Video- and Robotic-Assisted Thoracoscopic Truncal Vagotomy

Abstract

A subset of patients with marginal ulcers after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RNYGB) is refractory to medical management. Here we report a retrospective review of a single institution cohort (N = 10) of video- or robotic-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS or RATS) truncal vagotomies performed between 2013 and 2018. All patients had recurrent marginal ulcers following RNYGB complicated by bleeding or perforation, refractory to medical management for a median of 3.5 months prior to undergoing truncal vagotomy. With a median of 23 months' follow-up, only three patients had continued symptoms (70% symptom resolution) post-operatively. Only one patient who had repeat endoscopy after the procedure had documented endoscopic evidence of recurrent marginal ulcer (83% endoscopic resolution). VATS or RATS truncal vagotomy is a safe and effective method to treat complicated marginal ulceration after RNYGB. After an average duration of unsuccessful medical treatment lasting three months, vagotomy led to successful resolution in 70-83% of patients.

Keywords: robotic surgery; thoracic surgery; vagotomy.