title: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: significant long-term weight loss, improvement of obesity-related comorbidities and quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present long-term results of a large series of patients submitted to laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) for morbid obesity.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Reports on long-term results of RYGBP are scarce and focus primarily on weight loss. Our aim is to provide mid- to long-term data of RYGBP, with detailed results on weight loss, evolution of comorbidities and quality of life, also using the BAROS score.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients who underwent a primary RYGBP for morbid obesity in our 2 hospitals between 1999 and August 2008 were included. Data were collected prospectively in a computerized database, and reviewed for the purpose of this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 379 patients were included in the analysis of long-term results, 282 women, and 97 men, with a mean BMI of 46.3 kg/m². After 5 years, 74.9% of the patients achieved an excess weight loss of at least 50%, with a mean of 62.7% and 76.8% achieved a BMI <35 kg/m². The corresponding figures after 7 years were 64.9, 58.1, and 71.9, respectively. There was a small but significant long-term weight regain. All comorbidities improved markedly in the vast majority of patients, with no significant difference between the 3- and 5-year terms. Quality of life also improved markedly, and more than 95% of the patients had a good to excellent 5-year overall result according to the BAROS score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic RYGBP for morbid obesity results in good and maintained weight loss up to 7 years in the majority of patients, improves quality of life and markedly improves all the evaluated comorbidities, resulting in good to excellent overall 5-year results in 97% of the patients according to the BAROS score.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hôpital du Chablais, Aigle-Monthey, Switzerland. michelsuter@netplus.ch
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suter
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donadini
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Romy
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Demartines
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giusti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000713:Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y; D057868:Anastomotic Leak / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006547:Hernia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D059685:Herniorrhaphy; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life; D012086:Reoperation; D015996:Survival Rate; D015431:Weight Loss