Analysis of Emergency Department Visits and Unplanned Readmission After Bariatric Surgery: An Experience From a Tertiary Referral Center.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment of morbid obesity. As the number of bariatric procedures performed has increased, visits to the emergency department (ED) and readmissions have subsequently increased. The present study aimed to assess the rates and indications for of ED visits and readmission after bariatric surgery and to identify the predictors of hospital readmission. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study on patients who underwent bariatric surgery from January 2018 to April 2020. The percentage of ED visits and unplanned readmission was estimated and the indications and management of each were analyzed. The association of age, sex, body mass index, and type of procedure with readmission was assessed. RESULTS: Of 582 patients who underwent bariatric surgery in the study period, 204 (35%) required ED visits, and 42 (7.2%) required readmission. The mean age of patients was 33 years, and the mean body mass index was 43 kg/m2. The most common indication for ED visits was abdominal pain (41.2%). In all, 64.8% of ED visits and 43% of readmissions were unrelated to bariatric surgery complications. A total of 94.1% of patients who required ED visits and 71.4% of readmitted patients were managed conservatively. The most common procedure followed by readmission was laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (50%) then one-anastomosis gastric bypass (21.4%). Age, sex, body mass index, and procedure type were not significantly associated with higher readmission. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of ED visits and readmission in our cohort were 35% and 7.2%, respectively. Most cases of ED visits were not related to adverse effects of bariatric surgery and the majority of which were managed conservatively.

Impact of Baseline BMI and Adherence to Follow-Up on the Outcome of Sleeve Gastrectomy in Treatment of Adolescent Obesity.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent obesity is considered a public health challenge. Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) may be considered a safe option for treatment of adolescent obesity. This study aimed to assess the outcomes of SG in treatment of severe obesity in adolescents, with emphasis on the impact of baseline body mass index (BMI) and adherence to follow-up. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study on adolescents with severe obesity who underwent SG at a tertiary referral bariatric center. The main outcome measures were weight loss, improvement in comorbidities at 12 months postoperatively, and complications. RESULTS: A total of 72 adolescent patients (47 female) of a mean BMI of 47.9 ± 7.1 kg/푚2 were enrolled in the study. The mean %TWL was 34.94 ± 9.35 and the mean %EWL was 73.47 ± 22.12. Complete remission was recorded in all patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), pre-DM, and sleep apnea, in 80% of patients with hypertension, and 57% of patients with hypothyroidism. The long-term complication rate after SG was 18%. Patients with higher preoperative BMI had significantly (p = 0.018) lower %EWL at 1 year. CONCLUSION: SG is an effective and safe surgical procedure for adolescents with severe obesity. It was associated with a significant weight loss, high comorbidity remission rates, and no mortality or serious complications. Lower baseline BMI and better adherence to follow-up were associated with better outcome of SG.