Perioperative outcomes of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy in super-obese and super-super-obese patients: a national database analysis

Abstract

BackgroundEvidence remains contradictory for perioperative outcomes of super-obese (SO) and super-super-obese (SSO) patients undergoing bariatric surgery. ObjectiveTo identify national 30-day morbidity and mortality of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) in SO and SSO patients. SettingThe Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database. MethodsAll LSG and LRYGB patients from 2015 through 2017 in the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database were grouped based on body mass index (BMI) as follows: morbidly obese (MO; BMI 35.0–49.9 kg/m2), SO (BMI 50.0–59.9 kg/m2), and SSO (BMI ≥60.0 kg/m2). Complications and mortality within 30 days were compared between BMI groups using Pearson X2 or Fischer’s exact tests. Multivariate logistic regression was used to adjust for demographic characteristics and co-morbidities, and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was reported for each outcome. ResultsOf 356,621 patients, 71.6% had LSG and 28.4% LRYGB. A total of 272,195 patients were in the MO group, 65,565 in the SO group, and 18,861 in the SSO group. Higher BMI was associated with increased overall morbidity and mortality. The overall complication rate was significantly higher for SO (AOR = 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13–1.28 for LSG; AOR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.15 for LRYGB) and SSO (AOR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.31–1.58 for LSG; AOR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.19–1.45 for LRYGB) compared with the MO group. Mortality was also significantly higher for SO (AOR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.10–2.48 for LSG; AOR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.23–2.80 for LRYGB) and SSO (AOR = 3.30, 95% CI 1.98–5.48 for LSG; AOR = 3.32, 95% CI 1.93–5.73 for LRYGB) compared with the MO group. ConclusionsSO and SSO patients are at increased risk of 30-day morbidity and mortality compared with MO patients. Despite this elevated perioperative risk, the overall risk of these procedures remains low and acceptable especially as bariatric surgery is the durable treatment option for obesity.