Point-of-Care Tongue Ultrasound for Perioperative Risk Stratification in Metabolic Bariatric Surgery
- 14.11.2025
- Research
Erschienen in:
- Verfasst von
- Brandon Dyer
- Ryan Shargo
- Samantha Malak
- Naveen Perisetla
- Andrea Vrionis
- Jose Malavet
- Christopher DuCoin
- John Hodgson
- Peter Wu
- Jeffrey Weiss
- Enrico Camporesi
- Erschienen in
- Obesity Surgery | Ausgabe 12/2025
Abstract
Background
Patients undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) have a high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), increasing the risk of postoperative respiratory complications. While tongue thickness has been linked to OSA severity, its role as a predictor of postoperative hypoxemia and other complications remains unclear. This study is the first to evaluate whether preoperative ultrasound-measured tongue thickness correlates with postoperative respiratory outcomes and complications in patients undergoing MBS.
Methods
This prospective observational cohort study included 119 adult patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic MBS. Preoperative point-of-care ultrasound was used to measure sagittal and coronal tongue thickness. Continuous postoperative monitoring was performed using the Masimo RAD-97™ system for up to 14 h. Outcomes included desaturation events, respiratory and pulse events, and 30-day postoperative complications. Correlations between tongue thickness and clinical outcomes were analyzed and stratified by OSA status.
Results
Larger tongue dimensions were modestly associated with postoperative desaturation events. Significant time-dependent correlations were observed during the 0–6-h postoperative period (ρ = 0.15—0.34). Patients with OSA showed correlations with desaturations during the first 2 h, while patients without OSA had associations during the 4–6-h window. There were no significant differences in tongue size for those with common 30-day complications (p > 0.05).
Conclusions
Ultrasound-measured tongue thickness is associated with early postoperative oxygen desaturation in patients undergoing MBS, independent of OSA diagnosis. These findings suggest that tongue ultrasound may serve as a noninvasive tool for preoperative respiratory risk stratification. Further studies into comprehensive preoperative anatomical measurements to enhance risk stratification are warranted.
Graphical Abstract
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- Titel
- Point-of-Care Tongue Ultrasound for Perioperative Risk Stratification in Metabolic Bariatric Surgery
- Verfasst von
-
Brandon Dyer
Ryan Shargo
Samantha Malak
Naveen Perisetla
Andrea Vrionis
Jose Malavet
Christopher DuCoin
John Hodgson
Peter Wu
Jeffrey Weiss
Enrico Camporesi
- Publikationsdatum
- 14.11.2025
- Verlag
- Springer US
- Erschienen in
-
Obesity Surgery / Ausgabe 12/2025
Print ISSN: 0960-8923
Elektronische ISSN: 1708-0428 - DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-025-08335-0
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