Antrum Preservation Versus Antrum Resection in Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Purpose: To compare the effects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) with antrum preservation (AP) and antrum resection (AR) on weight loss and postoperative complications.

Methods: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) followed PRISMA guidelines. The databases searched included PubMed, Web of Science, Embase Medline, and the Cochrane Library up to October 2022. Extracted data included operation time, hospital stay, excess weight loss, total weight loss, body mass index (BMI), weight, and complications.

Results: Eleven RCTs were included with 843 patients: 422 with AR and 421 with AP. The AR group exhibited higher total weight loss at 3 months (p = 0.02), 6 months (p < 0.001), and 1 year (p < 0.001) postoperatively. They also showed greater excess weight loss at 6 months (p < 0.001), 1 year (p < 0.001), and 2 years (p = 0.03). BMI reduction was more significant in the AR group at 3 (p = 0.007) and 6 months (p < 0.001). The AR group lost weight more rapidly at 3 months (p = 0.05), 6 months (p = 0.04), and 1 year (p < 0.001). No significant differences were found in operation time, hospital stay, bleeding, staple line disruption, Clavien-Dindo complications, or remission rates of diabetes, hypertension, arthritis/back pain, hyperlipidemia, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: LSG with AR offers better short-term weight loss than AP without increasing surgical complications, but the long-term effects and complications need further investigation in larger RCTs.