Harvey J. Sugerman

BACKGROUND: Controversy exists regarding the effectiveness of surgery for weight loss and the resulting improvement in health-related outcomes. PURPOSE: To perform a meta-analysis of effectiveness and adverse events associated with surgical treatment of obesity. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and systematic reviews. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized, controlled trials; observational studies; and case series reporting on surgical treatment of obesity. DATA EXTRACTION: Information about study design, procedure, population, comorbid conditions, and adverse events. DATA SYNTHESIS: The authors assessed 147 studies. Of these, 89 contributed to the weight loss analysis, 134 contributed to the mortality analysis, and 128 contributed to the complications analysis. The authors identified 1 large, matched cohort analysis that reported greater weight loss with surgery than with medical treatment in individuals with an average body mass index (BMI) of 40 kg/m2 or greater. Surgery resulted in a weight loss of 20 to 30 kg, which was maintained for up to 10 years and was accompanied by improvements in some comorbid conditions. For BMIs of 35 to 39 kg/m2, data from case series strongly support superiority of surgery but cannot be considered conclusive. Gastric bypass procedures result in more weight loss than gastroplasty. Bariatric procedures in current use (gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, vertical banded gastroplasty, and biliopancreatic diversion and switch) have been performed with an overall mortality rate of less than 1%. Adverse events occur in about 20% of cases. A laparoscopic approach results in fewer wound complications than an open approach. LIMITATIONS: Only a few controlled trials were available for analysis. Heterogeneity was seen among studies, and publication bias is possible. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery is more effective than nonsurgical treatment for weight loss and control of some comorbid conditions in patients with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or greater. More data are needed to determine the efficacy of surgery relative to nonsurgical therapy for less severely obese people. Procedures differ in efficacy and incidence of complications.

BACKGROUND: Despite growing evidence that bariatric/metabolic surgery powerfully improves type 2 diabetes (T2D), existing diabetes treatment algorithms do not include surgical options. AIM: The 2nd Diabetes Surgery Summit (DSS-II), an international consensus conference, was convened in collaboration with leading diabetes organizations to develop global guidelines to inform clinicians and policymakers about benefits and limitations of metabolic surgery for T2D. METHODS: A multidisciplinary group of 48 international clinicians/scholars (75% nonsurgeons), including representatives of leading diabetes organizations, participated in DSS-II. After evidence appraisal (MEDLINE [1 January 2005-30 September 2015]), three rounds of Delphi-like questionnaires were used to measure consensus for 32 data-based conclusions. These drafts were presented at the combined DSS-II and 3rd World Congress on Interventional Therapies for Type 2 Diabetes (London, U.K., 28-30 September 2015), where they were open to public comment by other professionals and amended face-to-face by the Expert Committee. RESULTS: Given its role in metabolic regulation, the gastrointestinal tract constitutes a meaningful target to manage T2D. Numerous randomized clinical trials, albeit mostly short/midterm, demonstrate that metabolic surgery achieves excellent glycemic control and reduces cardiovascular risk factors. On the basis of such evidence, metabolic surgery should be recommended to treat T2D in patients with class III obesity (BMI ≥40 kg/m(2)) and in those with class II obesity (BMI 35.0-39.9 kg/m(2)) when hyperglycemia is inadequately controlled by lifestyle and optimal medical therapy. Surgery should also be considered for patients with T2D and BMI 30.0-34.9 kg/m(2) if hyperglycemia is inadequately controlled despite optimal treatment with either oral or injectable medications. These BMI thresholds should be reduced by 2.5 kg/m(2) for Asian patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although additional studies are needed to further demonstrate long-term benefits, there is sufficient clinical and mechanistic evidence to support inclusion of metabolic surgery among antidiabetes interventions for people with T2D and obesity. To date, the DSS-II guidelines have been formally endorsed by 45 worldwide medical and scientific societies. Health care regulators should introduce appropriate reimbursement policies.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for the treatment of morbid obesity. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a new and technically challenging surgical procedure that requires careful study. METHODS: The authors attempted total laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in 281 consecutive patients. Procedures included 175 proximal bypasses, 12 long-limb bypasses, and 9 revisional procedures from previous bariatric operations. The gastrojejunostomy and jejunojejunostomy were primarily constructed using linear stapling techniques. RESULTS: Eight patients required conversion to an open procedure (2.8%). The mean age of the patients was 41.6 years (range 15-71) and 87% were female. The mean preoperative body mass index was 48.1 kg/m2. The operative time decreased significantly from 234 +/- 77 minutes in the first quartile to 162 +/- 42 minutes in the most recent quartile. Postoperative length of stay averaged 4 days (range 2-91), with 75% of patients discharged within 3 days. The median hospital stay was 2 days. No patient died after surgery. Complications included three (1.5%) major wound infections (each followed a reoperation for a complication or open conversion), incisional hernia in 5 patients (1.8%), and anastomotic leak with peritonitis in 14 patients (5.1%). Three gastrojejunal leaks were managed without surgery, four by laparoscopic repair/drainage, and three by open repair/drainage. Only three patients had anastomotic leaks in the most recent 164 procedures (1.8%) since the routine use of a two-layer anastomotic technique. Data at 1 year after surgery were available in 69 of 96 (72%) patients (excludes revisions). Weight loss at one year was 70 +/- 5% of excess weight. Most comorbid conditions resolved by 1 year after surgery; notably, 88% of patients with diabetes no longer required medications. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic gastric bypass demonstrates excellent weight loss and resolution of comorbidities with a low complication rate. The learning curve is evident: operative time and leaks decreased with experience and improved techniques. The primary advantage is an extremely low risk of wound complications, including infection and hernia.

Vertical banded gastroplasty (VBGP) was compared with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) in a randomized prospective trial that included preoperative dietary separation of "sweets eaters" versus "non-sweets eaters." Randomization was stopped at 9 months after 20 patients had undergone each procedure because a greater weight loss (p less than 0.05) was noted after RYGBP than VBGP. This difference became more significant (p less than 0.001) at each 3-month interval through 3 years, when patients who had VBGPs had lost 37 +/- 20% of excess weight compared with 64 +/- 19% for patients who had RYGBPs. The members of the groups were comparable with regard to age, sex, eating habits, morbidity rates before surgery, ideal body weight, and weight before surgery. Although there was no significant difference between the loss of excess weight in "sweets eaters" (69 +/- 17%) or "non-sweets eaters" (67 +/- 17%) after RYGBP at 1 year, "sweets eaters" who had VBGPs lost significantly less excess weight (36 +/- 13%) than did "non-sweets eaters" who had VBGPs (57 +/- 18%), p less than 0.02, or "sweets eaters" who had RYGBPs, p less than 0.0001. No significant differences were noted for electrolytes, renal or liver function tests, and most vitamins between patients who had VBGPs and RYGBPs; however, patients who had RYGBPs had lower (p less than 0.05) serum vitamin B12 levels (286 +/- 149 pg/dl) than did patients who had VBGPs (461 +/- 226 pg/dl) at 2 years. By 3 years, the vitamin B12 levels were equal in members of the two groups. Five patients who had RYGBPs required endoscopic stomal dilatation for stomal stenosis and one had a marginal ulcer develop, which responded to cimetidine. RYGBP was clearly superior to VBGP for "sweets eaters," probably because of the development of dumping syndrome symptoms. However, RYGBP was associated with a larger number of correctable problems. Thus, it is important to evaluate a patient's eating habits before surgery for morbid obesity; "non-sweets eaters" probably should be treated with VBGP and "sweets eaters" with RYGBP.