Hemodialysis and Bariatric Surgery: A Guide for Adequate Protein Intake

Abstract

30kg/m 2 .Morerecently,however,23%of alltransplantrecipients were considered obese with a BMI of 30 kg/m 2 or greater, and 11.5% were considered either morbidly obese or very morbidly obese (BMI . 35 kg/m 2 ). 1 At present, a BMI of less than 35 kg/m 2 is the most commonly used selection criterion in renal transplant centers and an increasing number of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are being required to lose weight before being considered for transplantation. 2 In cases where traditional routes of weight loss (i.e., decreased intake and exercise) may be too difficult or take too long, some ESRD patients are looking to bariatric surgery to facilitate weight loss. Many individuals who elect to have bariatric surgery must remain on dialysis while they are awaiting transplant. Consequently, these patients present with both unique and paradoxical issues in which they desire weight loss but have increased nutrition needs related to dialysis. Presently, there are no standard nutrition guidelines or educational handouts for the population of patients who have both undergone bariatric surgery and remain on dialysis. This educational handout was developed from a thorough literature review paired with findings from a case-study where dialysis patients with bariatric surgery weresurveyedonthedifficultiesofmeetingtheir nutrition/ protein needs after receiving bariatric surgery. References