Bariatric Surgery: Overview of Procedures and Outcomes

Abstract

Bariatric surgery is the most efficient and long-lasting weight loss therapy available. Its safety has improved over tenfold over the last decade. With the advent of laparoscopy, mortality rates of are now under 1 per 1400 cases in accredited centers. Gastric bypass reduces diabetes-related mortality by 92% over 7 years and long lasting remission has been demonstrated in observational studies covering >10,000 patients and multiple randomized control trials. The benefit of bariatric surgery on diabetes is so substantial that these procedures should be considered in all type 2 diabetic patients with a BMI > 35 kg/m2.