• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

SAGES

Reimagining surgical care for a healthier world

  • Home
    • Search
    • SAGES Home
    • SAGES Foundation Home
  • About
    • Awards
    • Who Is SAGES?
    • Leadership
    • Our Mission
    • Advocacy
    • Committees
      • SAGES Board of Governors
      • Officers and Representatives of the Society
      • Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs
      • Committee Rosters
      • SAGES Past Presidents
  • Meetings
    • SAGES NBT Innovation Weekend
    • SAGES Annual Meeting
      • 2026 Scientific Session Call for Abstracts
      • 2026 Emerging Technology Call for Abstracts
    • CME Claim Form
    • SAGES Past, Present, Future, and Related Meeting Information
    • SAGES Related Meetings & Events Calendar
  • Join SAGES!
    • Membership Application
    • Membership Benefits
    • Membership Types
      • Requirements and Applications for Active Membership in SAGES
      • Requirements and Applications for Affiliate Membership in SAGES
      • Requirements and Applications for Associate Active Membership in SAGES
      • Requirements and Applications for Candidate Membership in SAGES
      • Requirements and Applications for International Membership in SAGES
      • Requirements for Medical Student Membership
    • Member Spotlight
    • Give the Gift of SAGES Membership
  • Patients
    • Join the SAGES Patient Partner Network (PPN)
    • Patient Information Brochures
    • Healthy Sooner – Patient Information for Minimally Invasive Surgery
    • Choosing Wisely – An Initiative of the ABIM Foundation
    • All in the Recovery: Colorectal Cancer Alliance
    • Find A SAGES Surgeon
  • Publications
    • Sustainability in Surgical Practice
    • SAGES Stories Podcast
    • SAGES Clinical / Practice / Training Guidelines, Statements, and Standards of Practice
    • Patient Information Brochures
    • Patient Information From SAGES
    • TAVAC – Technology and Value Assessments
    • Surgical Endoscopy and Other Journal Information
    • SAGES Manuals
    • MesSAGES – The SAGES Newsletter
    • COVID-19 Archive
    • Troubleshooting Guides
  • Education
    • Wellness Resources – You Are Not Alone
    • Avoid Opiates After Surgery
    • SAGES Subscription Catalog
    • SAGES TV: Home of SAGES Surgical Videos
    • The SAGES Safe Cholecystectomy Program
    • Masters Program
    • Resident and Fellow Opportunities
      • SAGES Free Resident Webinar Series
      • Fluorescence-Guided Surgery Course for Fellows
      • Fellows’ Career Development Course
      • SAGES Robotics Residents and Fellows Courses
      • MIS Fellows Course
    • SAGES S.M.A.R.T. Enhanced Recovery Program
    • SAGES @ Cine-Med Products
      • SAGES Top 21 Minimally Invasive Procedures Every Practicing Surgeon Should Know
      • SAGES Pearls Step-by-Step
      • SAGES Flexible Endoscopy 101
    • SAGES OR SAFETY Video Activity
  • Opportunities
    • Fellowship Recognition Opportunities
    • SAGES Advanced Flexible Endoscopy Area of Concentrated Training (ACT) SEAL
    • Multi-Society Foregut Fellowship Certification
    • Research Opportunities
    • FLS
    • FES
    • FUSE
    • Jobs Board
    • SAGES Go Global: Global Affairs and Humanitarian Efforts
  • Search
    • Search the SAGES Site
    • Guidelines Search
    • Video Search
    • Search Images
    • Search Abstracts
  • OWLS/FLS
  • Login

Alcohol Metabolism Is Not Affected After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: A New Finding

Martin A Berducci, MD, Sheetal Nijhawan, MD, Diego F Nino, Alberto S Gallo, MD, Eric Cramer, MS, Cristina R Harnsberger, MD, Ryan C Broderick, MD, Bryan J Sandler, MD, Garth R Jacobsen, MD, Santiago Horgan, MD. Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery, University of California, San Diego.

INTRODUCTION:
It has been published that gastric bypass surgery patients have impaired alcohol metabolism, predisposing these patients to higher rates of intoxication and DUI charges. The impact of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on alcohol metabolism is still unknown. We designed a prospective trial to evaluate the effect of LSG on alcohol metabolism.

METHODS:
A prospective cohort study of 10 patients undergoing LSG was conducted. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was determined using a Breathalyzer® examination every 5 min after a 150 ml of wine (12% alcohol by volume ) until BAC was equal to zero. Subjects were queried regarding alcohol intoxication symptoms. All parameters were obtained preoperatively, as well as 3 and 12 months postoperatively.

RESULTS:
From 05/2011 to 12/2012, 10 patients (9 female) with a mean age and BMI of 46.6 years and 43.5 ± 2 kg/m2 respectively were evaluated. The percent excess weight loss (%EWL) was 39.5 ± 3.3% at 3 months and 56.2 ± 5% at 12 months. Peak BAC was noted at 20 min and was not different at 3 months (0.068 ± 0.007, p= 0.765) or at 12 months (0.05 ± 0.008, p=0.1679) when compared to the preoperative (0.059 ± 0.014) assessment. In addition, the time for BAC to return to zero was not significantly different between the three time points evaluated (preoperative: 70 ± 9 min, 3 months: 95 ± 18 min and 12 months: 57 ± 8 min). Furthermore, symptoms of intoxication were not significantly different in patients before and after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS:
This study, one of the first with 12-month follow-up data, suggests that, unlike previous work regarding gastric bypass and other metabolic procedures, LSG patients do not have impaired alcohol metabolism postoperatively.
 

152

Share this:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon

Related



  • Foundation
  • SAGES.TV
  • MyCME
  • Educational Activities

Copyright © 2025 Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons