Surgery for obesity.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Bariatric surgery today is the only effective therapy for morbid obesity. Commonly performed procedures include adjustable gastric banding and vertical banded gastroplasty, variations of the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, biliopancreatic diversion or duodenal switch, and mixed procedures. This review discusses key issues in the surgical management of morbid obesity.

RECENT FINDINGS

The two most common bariatric procedures performed worldwide are laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Controversy exists regarding the best surgical procedure. Weight loss decreases according to the procedures performed in following decreasing order: biliopancreatic diversion, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, vertical banded gastroplasty, adjustable gastric banding. Concerning the complications and quality of life, there is no single operation for morbid obesity without drawbacks. Cost-effectiveness analyses have demonstrated that bariatric surgery is cost effective at less than 50,000 US dollars/quality-adjusted life years.

SUMMARY

According to current opinion, gastric restrictive procedures (adjustable gastric banding, vertical banded gastroplasty) are generally considered safe and quick to perform, but the long-term outcome and quality of life have been questioned. By contrast, the long-term efficacy of adjustable gastric banding can be improved by the development of new band devices. More complex bariatric procedures, such as the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or biliopancreatic diversion, have a greater potential for serious perioperative complications but are associated with good long-term outcome in terms of weight loss combined with less dietary restriction.