title: Obesity surgery in a rural setting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors set out to determine the ability to perform and the success of bariatric surgery within a rural setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were selected in a retrospective manner between January 1999 and March 2002. Over this period, 112 consecutive patients underwent an open vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) by a single surgeon. 60 of these patients were contacted by phone and were asked to answer a standardized questionnaire. Their medical histories were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  100% of patients were seen by the dietician (in both group and individual settings) and the anesthetist preoperatively. VBG was successful in more than 85% of patients, and weight loss was maintained over the study period. There was no mortality. Three patients required endoscopic stitch excision, one patient had the VBG reversed, and two required a repeat VBG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obesity surgery can be achieved in a rural setting with minimal morbidity and successful weight loss.
authors.affiliation: General Surgery, Hamilton Base Hospital, Hamilton, Australia. alstor@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Barclay
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Clifforth
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Warne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015905:Gastric Balloon; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012424:Rural Population; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss