Gastric Leaks after Sleeve Gastrectomy: Focus on Pathogenetic Factors

As reported by The International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity (IFSO) worldwide survey on bariatric surgery, sleeve gastrectomy has become the second most performed bariatric/metabolic procedure in the world just after gastric bypass. If we consider complications, despite a recent systematic review and meta-analysis that reported a substantial decrease in sleeve gastrectomy complication rates, leaks after sleeve gastrectomy still rate between 0 and 18%. Unlike the leaks of other types of gastrointestinal surgery, leaks after sleeve gastrectomy are challenging in diagnosis and treatment and can lead to sepsis, multiple organ failure, and even death. A standardized algorithm of diagnosis and management is still lacking. Current classification of gastric leaks is based on the time of onset and clinico-pathological aspects. Nonetheless, none of the largest series in literature report the pathogenesis of gastric leaks. Given this paucity of evidence-based data and the lack of defined guidelines, we try to examine and consider the pathogenetic factors of gastric leak to implement better treatments and predict outcomes.