142 Understanding the Burden of Emergency Bariatric Surgery Admissions

Aim To quantify the incidence and resource use of bariatric surgical emergencies (BSE) in a tertiary hospital setting. Method Patients were identified prospectively for 17 weeks from the 1st March 2023. Inclusion criteria were a bariatric emergency with an admission duration exceeding 24 hours. Results Of the 471 emergency general surgery admissions, 21 (4.5%) were identified as BSE. From 63 elective bariatric procedures, 4 (6.3%) necessitated prolonged stays owing to post-operative complications. Most patients were female (23/25), with an average age of 48 years (IQR 34-55) and a pre-operative BMI averaging 39 (IQR 37-44). The typical hospital stay was 5 days (IQR 1-15), with no reported fatalities. In total 23 patients had CT scans, 7 required surgical or procedural interventions, and 5 were admitted to the ICU. Interestingly, 12 emergency admissions had no prior NHS history, and 10 had undergone their procedures in Turkey. The post-surgery admission time was notably shorter for the Turkey group [2 (1-7) weeks] compared to those treated under the NHS [86 (5-750) weeks, p=0.003]. Conclusions More than one patient per week is admitted for a BSE. These patients have substantial resource requirements and highlight the need for adequate training and preparedness to manage these emergencies.