Indications for Sleeve Gastrectomy-Is It Worth Waiting for Comorbidities to Develop?

(1) Background and Objectives: Morbid obesity significantly increases the prevalence of comorbidities, such as heart disease, restrictive lung disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus and more. (2) Methods: Patients undergoing gastric sleeve surgery were divided into three groups with BMI between 30-34.9 kg/m2 (Group I), 35-39.9 kg/m2 (Group II), and over 40 kg/m2 (Group III). Preoperative examinations included cardiac ultrasound, respiratory function and laboratory tests, and preoperative comorbidities were also recorded. Following a one-year follow-up, we compared the rate of weight loss in the three groups at six months and one year following surgery, specifically, the effect of surgery on preoperative comorbidities at one year. (3) Results: The weight loss surgeries performed were successful in all three groups. Preoperative laboratory examinations, an echocardiogram and respiratory function results showed no clinically significant difference, except moderate elevations in blood lipid levels. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity. (4) Conclusions: In our patient population, hypertension and diabetes were the only comorbidities with a high prevalence. It can be explained by the relatively younger age among the patients (mean age 44.5 years) and the fact that they had not yet developed the pathological consequences of severe obesity. Consequently, while performing the surgery at a relatively younger age, it seems far more likely that the patient will return to a more active and productive life and enjoy a better quality of life. Additionally, the perioperative risk is lower, and the burden upon health systems and health expenditure is reduced by preventing comorbidities, in particular, multimorbidity. On this basis, it may be advisable to direct patients who do not exhaust the classical indications for bariatric surgery toward the surgical solution at a younger age. Our results suggest it is not worth waiting for comorbidities, especially multimorbidity, to appear.

[Efficacy of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on morbidly obese patients]. / Kórosan elhízott betegeken végzett laparoszkópos csogyomorképzés eredményességének vizsgálata.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a modern-day epidemic that places a significant and growing burden on the health systems of societies and their financial resources. OBJECTIVE: Our prospective, descriptive clinical study aimed to investigate the effect of laparoscopic gastric sleeve surgery in morbidly obese patients through a one-year follow-up. METHOD: In our study, we included 151 patients who underwent laparoscopic gastric sleeve surgery. We performed cardiac ultrasound, respiratory function and laboratory tests for pre-operative examination, possible co-morbidities were assessed, and the parameters of morbid obesity were also recorded, before surgery, half a year and one year after. RESULTS: Patients' body mass index decreased by 26.9% in the first six months and by 35.4% overall at one year, and body fat percentage decreased by 26.2% and 35%, respectively, over the same time intervals. The average age of patients was 41 years. Pre-operative cardiac ultrasound, respiratory function and laboratory tests showed no significant pathological abnormalities and a low rate of co-morbidities were associated with obesity (hypertension 51.7%, type two diabetes mellitus 13.8%). DISCUSSION: Based on the one-year follow-up data, the surgery was effective in weight loss, but long-term results can be expected at the five-year assessment, as there is a risk of repeated weight gain. Based on our study, in the case of failure of conservative treatment, it is recommended to perform the surgery at a young age, achieving the appropriate weight loss before the appearance or further aggravation of co-morbidities. Thus, the perioperative risk (and the probability of the subsequent development or further deterioration of co-morbidities) will decrease; conversely, the number of years spent in a better quality of life will increase. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is an effective weight loss procedure in the short term. If conservative treatment is ineffective, it is worthwhile to steer the patient towards invasive procedures as soon as possible to reduce the perioperative risk and the number of years spent in poor quality of life. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(44): 1749-1754.