ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Obesity decreases health-related quality of life, but bariatric surgery improves it. This study evaluates the effect of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, postoperative complications, and percentage of excess body weight loss on quality of life. METHODS: SF-36v.1 questionnaires were administered preoperative (n = 505), 1 year (n = 237) and 2 years (n = 106) following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Analysis was performed using Student's t-test and multiple logistic regression analysis. Complications were defined as requiring additional intervention or hospitalization. SF-36 responses were normalized to 1998 US norms. RESULTS: Bariatric patients scored significantly lower on all scales compared to the normal population. Health-related quality of life notably improves after surgery. At 1 year, scores not only improved from baseline, but were higher than those of the non-obese reference population regardless of complications. Compared to patients at 2 years without complications, patients experiencing complications reported decreased scores, but scores remained higher than preoperative scores in five scales. At 1 and 2 years, < or = 50% excess body weight loss decreased scores; however, scores were significantly improved from baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Health-related quality of life in bariatric patients is worse than in controls, but it improves 1 and 2 years after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Complications or < or = 50% excess body weight loss slightly decreases this improvement.
Subject(s)
Gastric Bypass/adverse effects , Obesity, Morbid/surgery , Postoperative Complications/psychology , Quality of Life , Weight Loss , Adaptation, Physiological , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y/adverse effects , Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y/methods , Body Mass Index , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Gastric Bypass/methods , Humans , Linear Models , Male , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Obesity, Morbid/psychology , Patient Satisfaction , Postoperative Complications/diagnosis , Postoperative Period , Preoperative Care , Retrospective Studies , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Anastomotic leak after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LGB) is a major complication that must be recognized and treated early for best results. There is controversy in the literature regarding the reliability of upper GI series (UGI) in diagnosing leaks. LGB was performed in patients meeting NIH criteria for the surgical treatment of morbid obesity. All leaks identified at the time of surgery were repaired with suture and retested. Drains were placed at the surgeon's discretion. Postoperatively, UGI was performed by an experienced radiologist if there was a clinical suspicion of leak. From September 2001 until October 2004, a total of 553 patients (age 40.4 +/- 9.2 years, BMI 48.6 +/- 7.2) underwent LGB at UAB. Seventy-eight per cent (431 of 553) of patients had no clinical evidence suggesting anastomotic leak and were managed expectantly. Twenty-two per cent (122 of 553) of patients met at least one inclusion criteria for leak and underwent UGI. Four of 122 patients (3.2%) had a leak, two from anastomosis and two from the perforation of the stapled end of the Roux limb. No patient returned to the operating room without a positive UGI. High clinical suspicion and selectively performed UGI based on clinical evidence is reliable in detecting leaks.
