TY - JOUR TI - Staple line reinforcement with stitch in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomies. Is it useful or harmful? AU - Albanopoulos, K. AU - Tsamis, D. AU - Arapaki, A. AU - Kleidi, E. AU - Zografos, G. AU - Leandros, E. JO - Journal of Laparoendoscopic and Advanced Surgical Techniques PY - 2015 VL - 25 TODO - 7 SP - 561-565 PB - MARY ANN LIEBERT INC PUBL SN - null TODO - 10.1089/lap.2014.0433 TODO - absorbable suture; adult; Article; controlled study; female; hematoma; human; intraoperative period; laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy; laparoscopic surgery; major clinical study; male; morbid obesity; morbidity; operation duration; peroperative complication; postoperative period; priority journal; prospective study; randomized controlled trial; reinforcement; sleeve gastrectomy; surgical drainage; adverse effects; comparative study; gastrectomy; hematoma; laparoscopy; middle aged; Obesity, Morbid; peroperative complication; procedures; surgical stapling; suture; young adult, Adult; Female; Gastrectomy; Hematoma; Humans; Intraoperative Complications; Laparoscopy; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity, Morbid; Operative Time; Postoperative Period; Prospective Studies; Surgical Stapling; Sutures; Young Adult TODO - Background: Reinforcement of the staple line in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a practice that leads to less morbidity, but equivocal results have been reported in the literature. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective randomized study comparing two groups of patients who underwent LSG. In one group LSG was performed with a running absorbable suture placement at the staple line. In the other group the running suture was not placed. General data of the patients, as well as intraoperative and postoperative data, were gathered and statistically analyzed. Results: Overall, 146 patients were subjected to LSG. In 84 patients a running suture was placed, and in 62 patients no suture was placed. No significant differences were found between the two groups in demographic data. No significant differences were found also in the intraoperative data, such as number of trocars, number and type of cartridges, drain placement, and operative time (45±21 versus 40±20 minutes, respectively; P<.05). Intraoperative complications were significantly more in the group with the suture placement (33.3% versus 16.1%, respectively; P<.05). Hematomas developed intraoperatively in more patients after the placement of the running suture (9.5% versus 0.0%, respectively; P<.05). Postoperatively, there was no significant difference in morbidity between the two groups (8.3% versus 9.7%, respectively; P>.05). Conclusions: After this randomized study, final conclusions about the efficacy of this running suture to the staple line cannot be made. To the contrary, problems seem to exist after such reinforcement of the staple line, such as hematomas. Dealing with possible leaks and hemorrhage of the staple line is also problematic after placement of the running suture. © Copyright 2015, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2015. ER -