The Bariatric-Metabolic Physician's Role in Managing Clinically Severe Obesity

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of this review is to outline the obesity physician's role in managing patients with severe obesity with a particular emphasis on bariatric surgery candidates.

RECENT FINDINGS

Obesity is a chronic, relapsing and progressive disease. Scoring systems that evaluate the severity of obesity based on the clinical assessment, rather than the Body Mass Index, are a valuable tool. The clinical assessment should explore the underlying contributors for weight gain and screen for obesity-related complications. Bariatric surgery remains the most effective management approach for severe and complex obesity. Nevertheless, pharmacotherapy and other non-surgical approaches play an important role. The bariatric-metabolic physician's role is paramount in delivering effective care to patients with obesity. The multiple complications of patients with clinically severe obesity highlight the complexity of their management and reinforce the need for adequate assessment and long-term follow-up to ensure optimal clinical outcomes.

Post-Bariatric Abdominoplasty: Analysis of 406 Cases With Focus on Risk Factors and Complications

BACKGROUND

Post-bariatric patients present a surgical challenge within abdominoplasty because of residual obesity and major comorbidities. In this study, we analyzed complications following abdominoplasty in post-bariatric patients and evaluated potential risk factors associated with these complications.

OBJECTIVES

The authors sought to determine the complications and risk factors following abdominoplasty in post-bariatric patients.

METHODS

A retrospective study of patients who underwent abdominoplasty was performed from January 2009 to December 2018 at our institution. Variables analyzed were sex, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, surgical technique, operative time, resection weight, drain output, and complications.

RESULTS

A total of 406 patients were included in this study (320 female and 86 male) with a mean age of 44.4 years and a BMI of 30.6 kg/m2. Abdominoplasty techniques consisted of traditional (64.3%), fleur-de-lis technique (27.3%), and panniculectomy without umbilical displacement (8.4%). Overall complications recorded were 41.9%, the majority of these being wound-healing problems (32%). Minor and major complications were found in 29.1% and 12.8% of patients, respectively. A BMI value of ≥30 kg/m2 was associated with an increased risk for wound-healing problems (P = 0.001). The frequency of total complications was significantly related to age (P = 0.007), BMI (P = 0.004), and resection weight (P = 0.001). Abdominoplasty technique tended to influence total complications.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates in a fairly large sample of post-bariatric patients (n = 406) that abdominoplasty alone can be performed safely, with an acceptable complication rate. Age, BMI, and resection weight are shown to be significant risk factors for total complications. The role of surgical technique needs to be evaluated further.

Level of Evidence: 4.

Nutritional Deficiencies in Patients after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy during 12-Month Follow-Up

INTRODUCTION

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) are the two most frequently performed bariatric operations. These two types of metabolic surgery alter the anatomy and function of digestive tract producing significant weight loss in morbidly obese patients but may lead to malnutrition.

AIM

Analysis of incidence and severity of malnutrition after bariatric surgery in patients submitted to RYGB or LSG during 12 months of follow-up.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective study of 98 patients after RYGB (n = 47) or LSG (n = 51) assessed for nutritional deficiencies during 12 months after surgery was conducted. The differences in body mass index (BMI) and blood tests including erythrocytes, haemoglobin, total protein, albumin, iron, ferritin, transferrin, vitamin B12, folic acid, calcium and phosphorus concentrations were compared between groups before the operations and at 1 and 12 months.

RESULTS

Nutritional deficiencies were common before surgery with prevalence up to 19.6% for albumin in the LSG group. Median preoperative BMI levels and albumin concentrations were higher in the RYGB group compared to the LSG group, but there was no difference in percent excess weight loss (%EWL) at 1 and 12 months between LSG and RYGB. One month after LSG erythrocyte count, haemoglobin, iron, ferritin and transferrin levels were significantly higher than in the RYGB group. These differences subsided at 12 months. At 12 months, only the prevalence of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency was significantly higher in the RYGB group.

CONCLUSION

Both RYGB and LSG lead to nutritional deficiencies despite different properties of operations and similar %EWL during follow-up.

The advantages and disadvantages of sleeve gastrectomy; clinical laboratory to bedside review

Sleeve gastrectomy is a surgical technique and a leading method in metabolic surgery. Sleeve gastrectomy gained ever-increasing popularity among laparoscopic surgeons involved in bariatric surgery and has proved to be a successful method in achieving considerable weight loss in a short time. There are some disparate effects that patients may experience after sleeve gastrectomy including a reduction in BMI, weight, blood pressure, stroke, and cancer and also a significant remission in obesity-related diseases including type 2 diabetes (T2D), Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD), cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and craniopharyngioma-related hypothalamic obesity as well as non-obesity-related diseases such as gout, musculoskeletal problems, ovarian disorders and urinary incontinence. The most common complications of sleeve gastrectomy are bleeding, nutrient deficiencies, and leakage. There are several studies on the impact of gender and ethnic disparities on post-operative complications. This study collects state of the art of reports on sleeve gastrectomy. The aim of this study was to analyze recent studies and review the advantages and disadvantages of sleeve gastrectomy.

Guidelines for the follow-up of patients undergoing bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery can facilitate weight loss and improvement in medical comorbidities. It has a profound impact on nutrition, and patients need access to follow-up and aftercare. NICE CG189 Obesity emphasized the importance of a minimum of 2 years follow-up in the bariatric surgical service and recommended that following discharge from the surgical service, there should be annual monitoring as part of a shared care model of chronic disease management. NHS England Obesity Clinical Reference Group commissioned a multi-professional subgroup, which included patient representatives, to develop bariatric surgery follow-up guidelines. Terms of reference and scope were agreed upon. The group members took responsibility for different sections of the guidelines depending on their areas of expertise and experience. The quality of the evidence was rated and strength graded. Four different shared care models were proposed, taking into account the variation in access to bariatric surgical services and specialist teams across the country. The common features include annual review, ability for a GP to refer back to specialist centre, submission of follow-up data to the national data base to NBSR. Clinical commissioning groups need to ensure that a shared care model is implemented as patient safety and long-term follow-up are important.

Carotid intima-media thickness and ınsulin resistance changes in patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy: A prospective study

OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to examine changes in insulin resistance, Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT), in morbid obese patients without any known associated chronic diseases who underwent sleeve gastrectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The subjects of this study were patients with minimum BMI of 40, who did not have any known chronic diseases. Sleeve gastrectomy was performed and perioperative control endoscopy was performed. The following values were measured before the operation and after follow-up period after the operation: Fasting blood glucose and insulin, lipid profile, BMI, liver function tests, right and left CIMT. Furthermore, the patients' insulin resistance was calculated by HOMA method, and the values of 2.7.

PARTICIPANTS

Six-teen patients (14 women and 2 men, average age: 39.12 ± 10.63 years), who did not have a known additional chronic disease, took part in the study.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference between baseline and follow-up values of the patients, and the mean weight loss was 20.5%. Given the statistical evaluation of baseline and follow-up values, there was a significant difference in BMI, insulin resistance rates and right and left CIMT values.

CONCLUSIONS

Bariatric surgery may provide some additional advantages for the management of cardiovascular risks in obese patients. However, it should be kept in mind that the most important components of fight against obesity are appropriate diet and exercise programs.