OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed at describing main radiological findings in patients who developed leaks as a complication of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery by the Higa's technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with post-gastric bypass anastomotic leaks were evaluated by means of computed tomography or gastrointestinal series. RESULTS: Leaks of superior anastomoses generally occurred within 30 postoperative days. Nineteen patients were radiologically diagnosed with anastomotic leaks, and ten of them presented contrast material extravasation, which is considered as a direct sign of the presence of anastomotic leaks. Seven of the remainder nine patients demonstrated contrast extravasation on subsequent studies, and indirect signs were also observed in six cases. Indirect signs were also observed in the patients with contrast material extravasation, the most frequent finding being pneumoperitoneum. Later follow-up examinations demonstrated contrast extravasation in one, and indirect signs in four of the five patients who had not been radiologically diagnosed. CONCLUSION: The most frequent radiological finding was contrast material extravasation (a direct sign of leak). Indirect signs were: unusual air-fluid levels, intracavitary fluid collections, disproportionate postoperative pneumoperitoneum, presence of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, anastomotic edema and small-bowel distention.

Keywords: Morbid obesity, Bariatric surgery, Anastomotic leak, Complication, Radiology, Computed tomography

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe the main radiological aspects of postoperative intestinal obstruction in patients submitted to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass by means of the Higa's technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 10 patients presenting with postoperative intestinal obstruction following a gastric reduction procedure were evaluated in the period between November 2001 and April 2006, in seven different medical centers. RESULTS: In the ten patients, the obstruction occurred in the small bowel, five of them because of internal hernias, three because of adhesions, one because of an umbilical hernia and one because of intussusception. Four patients presented obstruction early in the postoperative period (by the seventh post-op day), and six, late in the postoperative period (between the third month and the fifth year). CONCLUSION: All of the cases of intestinal obstruction were found in the small bowel. Internal hernia was the most frequent cause, followed by adhesion. Other causes included umbilical hernia and intussusception.

Keywords: Morbid obesity, Bariatric surgery, Intestinal obstruction, Complication, Radiology, Computed tomography

OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed at evaluating radiological findings of delayed postoperative upper gastrointestinal series in patients submitted to Fobi-Capella surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Radiological studies of 41 patients, six to nine months following the surgery. RESULTS: The following pathological alterations have been found: hiatal hernia (17%), gastroesophageal reflux disease (19.5%) and sliding of the silastic ring (4.8%). Least frequent findings have been the following: enterocutaneous fistula (2.4%), stenosis of the gastric pouch outlet (2.4%), bezoar (2.4%), and non-visualization of the silastic ring caused by its removal due to patient intolerance (2.4%). Anatomical alterations resulting from the surgery have been clearly demonstrated. CONCLUSION: The present study could demonstrate anatomical alterations and complications resulting from Fobi-Capella surgery.

Keywords: Morbid obesity, Gastroplasty, Upper gastrointestinal series, Bariatric surgery, Fobi-Capella

Objetivo: A principal utilidade da tomografia por emissão de pósitrons com 18-fluordeoxiglicose (FDG-PET) está no estadiamento do câncer de pulmão. Porém, ela também pode ser utilizada para diferenciar lesões pulmonares indeterminadas, mas seu impacto na ressecção cirúrgica de lesões benignas é desconhecido. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a prevalência de lesões benignas em toracotomias feitas por suspeição de câncer de pulmão, antes e após a introdução do FDG-PET, em um centro de referência de cirurgia torácica. Materiais e Métodos: Os autores analisaram, prospectivamente, uma base de dados cirúrgicos de todos os pacientes consecutivos submetidos a toracotomia por câncer de pulmão suspeito ou comprovado e compararam a prevalência de lesões benignas em dois grupos ao longo de dois anos consecutivos, respectivamente antes (grupo I) e depois (grupo II) da introdução da FDG-PET. Resultados: Ressecção cirúrgica foi feita em 1.233 pacientes durante o período do estudo. A prevalência de lesões benignas na cirurgia nos grupos I e II foi similar (44/626 e 41/607, ambas correspondendo a 7%), e também no grupo II, entre aqueles submetidos a FDG-PET e os restantes (21/301 e 20/306 respectivamente, ambos correspondendo a 7%). No grupo II, dos 21 pacientes com lesões benignas submetidos a FDG-PET, 19 tiveram um estudo falso-positivo (valor médio padrão de captação 5.3 [faixa 2.6–12.7]). Desses, respectivamente 13 e 4 pacientes tiveram broncoscopia não diagnóstica e biópsia transtorácica percutânea de pulmão antes da toracotomia. Não houve diferença na proporção de lesões benignas diferentes ressecadas entre o grupo I e aqueles submetidos a FDG-PET no grupo II. Conclusão: A introdução da FDG-PET não alterou a proporção de pacientes submetidos a toracotomia por lesões benignas, principalmente devido à avidez pelo isótopo de algumas lesões não malignas. Tais resultados falsos-positivos devem ser considerados nos casos em que se contempla a possibilidade de ressecção cirúrgica em pacientes com câncer de pulmão não confirmado.

Keywords: Tomografia por emissão de pósitrons; Tomografia computadorizada; Pulmão – lesões benignas ou congênitas; Câncer de pulmão – diagnóstico e estadiamento; Câncer de pulmão – cirurgia.