Wernicke’s encephalopathy after sleeve gastrectomy: Literature review

Highlights

• •Wernicke encephalopathy after sleeve gastrectomy is an uncommon complication.
• •Wernicke encephalopathy reaches 20% mortality rate when it is undertreated.
• •Treatment with thiamine vitamin must be started with a presumptive diagnosis.

Abstract

Objective

To describe a case of Wernicke’s encephalopathy after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Setting

Emergency Department and gastrointestinal surgery department.

Case report

A 20-year-old man class III obesity (BMI 50.17 kg/m²) underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy with uneventful recovery. Five weeks after surgery he was admitted in the Emergency Department because of persistent vomiting and dysphagia to solids. Esophagogastroduodenal transit and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were requested but no relevant findings were shown. Laboratory analyses showed vitamin B1 12.2 ng/mL and 48 h following admission the patient experienced generalized weakness, sialorrhea and restrictions of actions such as reading a book. Neurological evaluation found confusion, motor ataxia, diplopy and nystagmus. A brain magnetic resonance was normal. According to low level of vitamin B1 and symptoms found in the patient a presumed diagnosis of Wernicke encephalopathy was made and parenteral thiamine 100 mg/day was started. The patient was discharged asymptomatic with oral intake of vitamin B1 600 mg per day.

Conclusion

Nutritional deficiencies after restrictive procedures are uncommon but easily preventable and can result in life threatening. With the upswing of bariatric surgery, surgeons and emergency physicians should be able to diagnose and treat those complications. Prophylactic thiamine should be administered to patients with predisposing factors.

1. Introduction

Bariatric procedures for the treatment of morbid obesity are the most commonly performed gastrointestinal operations today, more than 34,000 procedures were done all over the world in 2011. Sleeve gastrectomy has increased in prevalence from 0% in 2003 to 28% in 2011 [1].

Weight loss surgery falls into three categories: malabsorptive, restrictive or mixed. Procedures such as sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or duodenal switch are the most frequently performed. Nevertheless, there are many procedures or modifications described like Fobi Pouch Gastric Bypass, laparoscopic gastric plication, adjustable gastric band, one anastomosis gastric bypass or ileal transposition [2]^, [3].

In spite of sleeve gastrectomy has been considered a restrictive procedure, hormonal changes has been demonstrated, and continue to be the subject of further studies, meaning that the effect of this procedure is more complex than it seems to be.

Despite all the well-known advantages of these procedures, as with any major surgery, pose potential health risks, both in the short term and long term. On the one hand complications due to the surgical procedure such as stenosis of the sleeve gastrectomy, anastomotic leak, bleeding or infection, and on the other hand complications related to nutritional deficiency. With the upswing of bariatric surgery, surgeons should be able to diagnose and treat those complications.

We present a case of a young man with vitamin B1 deficiency after sleeve gastrectomy.

2. Clinical case

A 20-year-old man class III obesity (body mass index 50.17 kg/m²) underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. He had an uneventful recovery and was discharged on the second postoperative day. According to our bariatric surgery protocol, the patient was to stay on liquids for three weeks, followed by soft food for two weeks. Five weeks after surgery the patient was admitted in the Emergency Department because persistent vomiting and dysphagia to solids. Esophagogastroduodenal transit (Fig. 1) showed good contrast pass and complications such as stenosis or other lesions were ruled out. The patient was discharged with oral antiemetic (metoclopramide) and placed under outpatient follow-up. Because of persistent clinical symptoms an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (Fig. 2) was requested but no relevant findings were shown, except for mucosal edema. The patient was readmitted to the hospital with electrolyte replacement and intravenous anti-inflammatory drugs, 2 months after surgery. At the time of readmission the patient had lost 27 kg relative to his presurgery weight and a blood sample was drawn. 48 h following admission the patient continued to suffer from recurrent vomiting and experienced generalized weakness, sialorrhea and restrictions of actions such as reading a book. Neurological evaluation found confusion, motor ataxia, diplopy and nystagmus in all gaze position. A presumed diagnosis of Wernicke encephalopathy was made and parenteral thiamine 100 mg/day was started. Blood sample drawn at the time of the readmission shown: calcium 10.15 mg/dL, total protein 72 g/L, albumin 4.32 g/dL, vitamin B12 539 pg/mL, vitamin B1 12.2 ng/mL (RL 35–91 ng/mL), vitamin B6 34.7 ng/mL, folic acid 3.11 ng/mL, retinol 0.38 mg/L, vitamin D 23 ng/ml, ferritin 640 ng/ml, transferrin 2.01 g/L, transferrin saturation 67%, GOT 200 UI/L, GPT 217 U/L and GGT 159 U/L. A brain magnetic resonance (Fig. 3) was normal. According to low level of vitamin B1 and symptoms found in the patient the diagnosis of Wernicke encephalopathy was confirmed. On the next day the patient started to feel better, the fourth day of treatment diplopy disappeared and motor ataxia and nystagmus were almost undetectable. Vomits went away and he started to eat in accordance with our protocol. At discharge the patient was asymptomatic and was prescribed oral intake of vitamin B1 600 mg per day. The patient had follow-up every 2 months to evaluate his disease. 12 months after surgery, he was totally recovered with no signs of Wernicke encephalopathy and he presented a BMI of 30.81 kg/m².

Fig. 1.

Esophagogastroduodenal transit show good contrast pass.

Fig. 2.

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with no relevant findings, except for mucosal edema.

Fig. 3.

Brain magnetic resonance show no structural abnormalities or signal changes.

3. Discussion

Long-term results of pathophysiology in the gastrointestinal tract after surgical alterations of gastrointestinal function are still not known [4].

Bariatric surgery can be classified as a restrictive procedure, a malabsorptive procedure or both. Nutritional deficiencies are a consequence of alterations in the structure of the gastrointestinal tract, in which food is rerouted avoiding the first part of small bowel, as in duodenal switch, or is a delay in mixing the food with bile and pancreatic enzymes as in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

On the other hand, sleeve gastrectomy has nearly regular intestinal absorption and, despite evidence based data on necessity of supplementation after this procedures does not exist in literature [5], nutritional deficiencies may also occur due to reduce food intake, inadequate diet, vomits or prolonged parenteral feeding [6]. Therefore, nutritional deficiencies after restrictive procedures must not be underestimated.

Malnutrition after bariatric surgery is related to protein deficiency. Guidelines of the Endocrine Society recommend that patients should ingest 60–120 g of protein per day, especially after malabsorptive procedures [7].

Wernicke’s encephalopathy (WE) has been thought of a disease of alcoholics, but it is also found in other scenarios such as chronically undernourished, cachexia in patients with cancer and more recently described post bariatric surgery.

It is an acute neurological disorder due to deficiency in vitamin B1 and is characterized by the triad ophthalmoplegia and nystagmus, motor ataxia, and confusion, but only 16% of the patients exhibit all three features at the same time [8].

Thiamine deficiency has been discovered in up to 49% patients after gastric bypass, nonetheless there are few case reports in the literature after sleeve gastrectomy [9].

Despite 94% of WE cases were seen within 6 months after surgery, this disease may appear three weeks after surgery, especially when the patient progress to solid foods suffering from vomits, or even long-term after 72 weeks of surgery [6]^, [10].

In spite of risk factors after sleeve gastrectomy are not well established, WE may be caused by restriction of oral intake, persistent vomiting, prolonged parenteral nutrition and use of 5% glucose serum to treat vomits.

In our case, Esophagogastroduodenal transit showed good contrast pass and stenosis was ruled out, therefore persistent vomits were likely due to mucosal edema.

A presumptive diagnosis must be done in patients with any symptom described and treatment with thiamine must be started. Is mandatory a blood sample to measure level of vitamin B1 to confirm the diagnosis.

Brain magnetic resonance may be used to support the diagnosis showing hyperintense areas on T2 (medial thalamus, periventricular zone or mammillary bodies), but low sensitivity prevents exclude the diagnosis when no changes are demonstrated, as in our case [11].

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a safe procedure with low morbidity rate 5.2% and a mortality rate of 0.36% [12]. Bleeding or staple line leaks continue to be the most serious complications and occur in 1–3% of cases [13].

A study of Bellanger and Greenway [14], found vomits and dehydration only in 5 of 529 after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Himpens found vomits in 18% of patients treated with sleeve gastrectomy [15].

As we have seen, persistent vomiting after surgery can lead to Wernickés encephalopathy with a 20% mortality rate when it is undertreated. It takes several days to obtain the results of thiamine level, and it is important not to delay treatment. Therefore, thiamine must be started as soon as possible, even with a presumptive diagnosis. Definitive diagnosis will be confirmed if patient symptoms improved with the treatment.

Parenteral supplementation with thiamine (100 mg/day) should be initiated in the patient with active neurological symptoms. After a 7–14 days course, an oral preparation (10 mg/day) can be used until neurological symptoms resolve [7].

To conclude, nutritional deficiencies after restrictive procedures can result in life threatening. These deficiencies are easily preventable, surgeons should be aware of this complication and patients should be warned in the presence of triggers. We believe that prophylactic thiamine should be administered to patients with predisposing factors.

Conflicts of interest

The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sector.

Ethical approval

A written and signed informed consent from the patient has been obtained and approved for our ethical committee.

Consent

Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this Case report and any accompanying images.

Authors’ contributions

F.P. drafted the manuscript. N.P.R. and N.P. participated in the design of the case. J.R., J.O. and E.M. participated in its design and coordination and E.V. helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Guarantor

All authors accept full responsibility for the work.