RISK FACTORS AND LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF BARIATRIC SURGERY IN MORBIDLY OBESE PATIENTS; A COHORT STUDY

Abstract

Bariatric surgery has become an important therapy for severe obesity due to its substantial weight reduction and improvements in obesity-related comorbidities. This two-year cohort study at the Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar, Pakistan, set out to assess the long-term outcomes and risk factors of seventy-two patients who were very obese after bariatric surgery. The patients had “Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, sleeve gastrectomy, or adjustable gastric banding”. Data were collected on “demographics, surgical outcomes, postoperative complications, weight reduction, resolution of comorbidities, quality of life, nutritional status, and reoperations”, both retrospectively and prospectively. Following surgery, the average excess weight reduction percentage (%EWL) was 63.5% at 12 months and 58.2% at 24 months. Notable advancements were seen in the domains of type 2 diabetes (resolution in 58.2%, improvement in 32.7%), hypertension (resolution in 60.4%, improvement in 25.0%), and obstructive sleep apnea (67.7%, improvement in 25.8%). The BAROS score, which gauges quality of life, increased from 1.8 to 5.6 at 24 months. At 24 months, 36% of patients exhibited dietary deficiencies. Thirty-nine percent had problems after thirty days, twelve percent had long-term problems, and eight three percent needed reoperations. This research validates the efficacy of bariatric surgery in lowering body weight and treating obesity-related comorbidities. Even though the problems were controlled within reasonable bounds, postoperative care and continued nutritional monitoring are vital. These results help improve patient outcomes and direct future approaches to bariatric surgery for patients who are extremely obese.