High-risk morbidly obese patients who lose 5 to 10 percent of their excess body weight before undergoing gastric bypass surgery appear to have shorter hospital stays and more rapid postoperative weight loss, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Surgery, a theme issue on bariatric surgery.
Bariatric surgery is an effective long-term treatment for morbidly obese patients with co-occurring medical problems, according to background information in the article. “To that end, older and higher-risk patients with multiple uncontrolled medical problems (such as diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, steatohepatitis [liver inflammation], degenerate joint disease, venous stasis disease [loss of vein function in the legs] and cardiopulmonary vascular disease) are opting for bariatric surgery,” the authors write. “Moreover, patients are seeking referral for bariatric surgery when the disease burden from their comorbidities eliminates meaningful quality of life.” These patients may face more complications following surgery.
Christopher D. Still, D.O., and colleagues at Geisinger Health System, Danville, Penn., assessed patients who underwent open or laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery between 2002 and 2006. “Patients were required to participate in a standardized multidisciplinary preoperative program that encompasses medical, psychological, nutritional and surgical interventions and education,” the authors write. “In addition, patients were encouraged to achieve a 10 percent loss of excess body weight prior to surgical intervention.”