High risk morbidly obese patients who lose weight before undergoing bariatric surgery have a greater chance of a shorter stay in the hospital following the surgery, a new study finds. They also lose weight more rapidly after surgery.

Approximately 5% of the U. S. population, close to 30 million people, is considered morbidly obese. To combat this chronic and debilitating disease, morbidly obese patients are increasingly turning to bariatric surgery, not only to lose weight, but to improve obesity related problems such as diabetes, fatty liver, sleep apnea, and High cholesterol.

In a study published in October edition of Archives of Surgery, Geisinger Health System obesity researchers found that high-risk morbidly obese patients who lost more than 5% of their excess body weight in the months leading up to surgery were less likely to remain in the hospital for more than 4 days. In addition, patients who lost more than 10% of their excess body weight were more likely to reach their weight loss goal (70% of their excess body weight) within a year after surgery.

This is the largest study to date to examine the effect of preoperative weight loss on outcomes after bariatric surgery. The researchers studied 884 patients who underwent bariatric surgery at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville between 2002 and 2006.

Geisinger’s Center for Nutrition and Weight Management encourages a modest weight loss of up to 10% for bariatric surgery candidates in order to better control existing obesity related medical problems such as diabetes, sleep apnea and fatty liver prior to surgery.

“Bariatric surgery remains a highly effective treatment option for morbidly obese patients” said Christopher Still, DO, the Center’s director and lead author of the paper. “Since many of our patients have several obesity related medical problems, which are often uncontrolled before surgery, we reasoned that a modest weight loss prior to surgery would prove beneficial after surgery.”

About Geisinger Health System
Geisinger Health System is one of the nation’s leading fully integrated healthcare providers. Founded in 1915, Geisinger serves more than two million residents throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania. The physician-led organization is at the forefront of the country’s rapidly emerging electronic health records movement. Geisinger includes three major regional medical centers, a 650-member group practice, a not-for-profit health insurance company, and the Geisinger Center for Health Research—dedicated to creating innovative new models for patient care, satisfaction and clinical outcomes.

Source: Geisinger Health System