Outcome of Sleeve Gastrectomy Versus Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass for Patients with Super Obesity (Body Mass Index > 50kg/m2).

Abstract

With increasing BMI, the complexity of treating patients with obesity rises. The focus of this study is to investigate the effects of sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) on perioperative morbidity and remission of comorbidities at 3years in patients with a BMI > 50kg/m2. A retrospective multicenter analysis of a prospectively maintained database was performed to enroll patients with a 3-year follow-up after SG or RYGB between 2005 and 2019 and a BMI of > 50kg/m2 preoperatively. Patients' BMI and comorbidity status were recorded preoperatively. We analyzed data from 2939 patients who had at least a preoperative BMI > 50kg/m2. A total of 1278 patients underwent RYGB surgery, and 1661 underwent SG. The distribution of sex, BMI, hypertension, reflux, and sleep apnea was significant between the two groups. Three years after surgery, the percent excess weight loss (%EWL) was 62.21% in RYGB and 55.87% in SG (p < 0.001). The change in hypertension (p < 0.001) and reflux (p < 0.001) was significantly in favor of RYGB. The change in diabetes mellitus was not significant between the two groups (p > 5%). There was a minimal difference in sleep apnea in favor of SG (p < 0.001). Mortality and overall complication rates were not significant in either group. Both procedures positively affected comorbidities, BMI, and %EWL in patients with super obesity 3years after surgery. In some categories, RYGB was better than SG. Nevertheless, the decision between the two methods remains a matter of the surgeon's experience and the patient's general condition.