Long-term Follow-up After Bariatric Surgery

Abstract

Although bariatric surgery is commonly performed, it is not universally accepted as an obesity treatment. In 2009, a Cochrane systematic review advised caution before accepting the effectiveness of bariatric surgery because of limited high-quality evidence supporting its use.¹ Most published studies of bariatric surgery are retrospective, short-term studies with insufficient follow-up.² Substantial missing data in these studies preclude definitive conclusions about the procedures’ outcomes. Although there is ample short-term evidence about the benefits and risks of bariatric surgery up to 1 year after surgery, few data are available about long-term outcomes or groups.