A NECESSIDADE DO RASTREAMENTO DA BACTÉRIA HELICOBACTER PYLORI EM PACIENTES OPERADOS PELA CIRURGIA BARIÁTICA

Abstract

The bacterium Helicobacter pylori (HP) is present in approximately 50% of the world’s population and is closely linked to gastrointestinal diseases. Its detection can be performed in various ways and is typically requested when there is suspicion of its involvement in inflammatory processes such as gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. HP screening is also frequently conducted in both the preoperative and postoperative stages of bariatric surgery. Surgical intervention in obese patients, commonly known as bariatric surgery, has been performed for decades in Brazil, utilizing various management techniques. The relationship between the prognosis of bariatric surgery and the absence of H. pylori has been studied to refine surgical outcomes, which explains the preoperative screening of this bacterium. The present study aims to highlight the necessity of maintaining continuous Helicobacter pylori screening in the postoperative period of bariatric patients, as well as comparing the postoperative evolution between patients who test positive and negative for the bacterium. Through the analysis of medical records from a Gastroenterological Specialty Center, specifically those of patients who underwent bariatric surgery and were screened for HP, the behavior of the bacterium will be compared in relation to both the preoperative and postoperative periods of the procedure. H. pylori was detected in 17.42% of patients in the pre-surgical phase, and most were able to eliminate the infection after surgery. Although 7.56% of patients developed complications, such as ulcers and erosions, these complications were not exclusively associated with the presence of H. pylori, as many negative patients also experienced complications. Overall, the control of H. pylori was effective, but patients who remained positive after surgery require additional monitoring.

Keywords: Helicobacter pylori, bariatric surgery, screening.