Results of teenaged bariatric patients performed in an adult program.
BACKGROUND
Morbid obesity is a growing epidemic among adolescents. Bariatric surgery has proven to be the only long-term effective method in treating morbidly obese adults for over a decade. The laparoscopic approach has become a popular option. This study tested the hypothesis that laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a feasible option in teenaged patients with good results through an adult bariatric program.


METHODS
All patients under the age of 20 at the time of surgery were included in this study. Each patient had undergone a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Charts were reviewed for preoperative evaluation, operative time, complications, and length of hospital stay. Percentage of excess body weight lost (%EBWL) was calculated at the follow-up.


RESULTS
Of the 202 patients who underwent a laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure at our institution, 5 (2%) were teenagers. The mean age was 18 years (range, 17-19). The mean height was 69 inches (range, 61-75). Average weight was 323 lbs (range, 227-394). The mean preoperative body mass index was 48 kg/m2 (range, 44-56). All patients had medical and psychological clearance prior to surgery. Mean operative time was 150 minutes (range, 130-172). There were no complications in this subset of patients. All 5 patients were discharged on postoperative day 2. Follow-up ranged from 17.8 to 44.8 months. The mean %EBWL was 77% (range, 58%-88%).


CONCLUSIONS
The laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure is technically feasible in teenaged patients, with excellent results even when performed in an adult bariatric program. Long-term data will be needed to determine its role in the treatment of morbidly obese adolescents.
Madan
Atul K
AK
Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, USA. amadan@utmem.edu
Dickson
Paxton V
PV
Ternovits
Craig A
CA
Tichansky
David S
DS
Lobe
Thom E
TE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome