Search

Background There is a scarcity of data available to determine the safety and effectiveness of bariatric surgery in the elderly population. Additionally, there are no studies showing the effect of the single anastomosis duodenal switch (SADS) has on the elderly obese, in comparison with other more popular procedures. Here we compare laparoscopic gastric band surgery (LAGB), Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (LRYGB), and the SADS to analyze the weight loss, perioperative and postoperative morbidity in the patients >70 years of age at a single US center. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 53 consecutive patients ≥70 years old who underwent weight loss surgery from 2009 to 2015.Weight loss in terms of the percentage excess body mass index lost (%EBMIL), percentage excess weight lost (%EWL) and body mass index (BMI) points lost, resolution of comorbidities, length of stay, early (30-day) and late complication rates were compared using descriptive statistics and non-linear regression analysis. Results Of 53 patients, 24 underwent LAGB, 14 underwent LRYGB and 15 underwent SADS. The average patient age was 72.7 ± 2.5 years (range, 70–81.4) and 66 % were females. There was no statistical difference in the demographic data between three groups except for age and sleep apnea. There were no operative or early deaths. There were differences in complication rates between the surgical arms; however, with our small data set statistical significance was not achieved. There was 1 patient who lost to follow up in SADS group. Follow up time period was 18 months. % EBMIL and BMI reduction showed a statistically significant difference between the procedures, where the SADS had the highest loss of %EBMIL and BMI points. Comorbidities prevalence decreased post-operatively with SADS having higher percentage of patients who had resolution of their comorbidities. Conclusion Each of the three procedures can be performed on patients older than 70 with low morbidity rate. However, when the focus is weight loss alone, the SADS procedure is the most effective of the three procedures in regards to weight loss in the short term for patients older than 70. The SADS is as safe as RYGB but LAGB with all its limitations is still the safest bariatric procedure.

The increase in the prevalence of obesity and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has paralleled one another. Laparoscopic fundoplication (LF) (Nissen or Toupet) is a minimally invasive form of anti-reflux surgery. The duodenal switch is a highly effective weight loss surgery with a proven record of long term weight loss success. However, fundoplication alone does not give satisfactory results when used for GERD in morbidly obese patients. Here we present a novel approach combining stomach intestinal pylorus sparing surgery (SIPS) with LF for morbidly obese patients with GERD. The data from patients who underwent the SIPS procedure along with LF in past year was retrospectively analyzed. The variables collected were age, sex, height, weight, intra-operative and post-operative complications, length of stay, operative time, and estimated blood loss. All revisions were excluded. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data. The total sample size of the study was 5 patients, with a mean age of 59.6 ± 16.4 years, a mean weight of 292.1 ± 73.6 lbs., and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 43.4 ± 6.3. Weight loss patterns were the same as those without LF. All the 5 patients had resolution or improvement in their GERD symptoms within 6 months. SIPS with LF provides substantial and sustained weight loss and GERD resolution. Long term follow ups and further study on this novel surgical technique is recommended.