Improvement of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: A retrospective study

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the change in symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy as a bariatric surgery, given that the data about this subject is lacking in the Gulf region. Design: A retrospective analysis was conducted in the period between November 2011 and November 2015. Out of 30 eligible patients, 10 participants who couldn't be reached were excluded from the analysis. Setting: Public Hospital, Kuwait Subjects: Thirty patients Intervention(s): Patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and a sleep study Main outcome measure(s): The patients were asked about pre- and post-operative weight and OSA symptoms using STOP-Bang and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) questionnaires. Result(s): The mean age of the patients was 35.5 years with 45% being females. There was statistically significant improvement in ESS & STOP BANG questionnaire (P<0.001) showing a drop from 8.65 to 0.75, and 4.1 to 1.5, respectively. The mean body mass index showed a decreasing trend from 71 kg/m(2) (47.6-90.2) pre-operatively to 40.1 kg/m2 (29-81.6) post-op (P<0.001). Fifty-five percent of our patients were on CPAP before LSG; however, all the patients were off CPAP after the surgery. The percent excess body weight loss was 60.31% with a follow-up range after surgery of 9-56 months. Conclusion(s): In conclusion, LSG plays a major role in the improvement and resolution of OSA symptoms, with a significant reduction in the use of CPAP in morbidly obese patients.