title: Results of a national survey on laparoscopic bariatric surgery in Japan, 2000-2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Japan, laparoscopic bariatric surgery has not been popular until recently because morbidly obese patients were infrequently encountered previous and Japanese health insurance does not cover this type of surgery. In 2010, the Japan Research Society for Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Treatments of Obesity undertook the first nationwide survey on laparoscopic bariatric surgery to evaluate its current status and outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mail survey was sent to the society's 64 member institutions, which included almost all institutions in Japan actively performing laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 2000 to 2009, 340 laparoscopic bariatric procedures, in total, were performed in nine of the 64 institutions (14%). The most popular procedure was laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB, n=147), second was laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG, n=102), and third was laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB, n=55). However, the number of LRYGB procedures has decreased while the number of LSG procedures has rapidly increased. Total morbidity rates were 12.2% for LRYGB, 10.9% for LAGB, and 7.8% for LSG. Percent excess weight loss was 78% at 5 years after LRYGB, 52% at 4 years after LAGB, and 68% at 2 years after LSG. Although the bariatric procedures frequently resolved or improved obesity-related comorbidities, LRYGB appears to be superior to LAGB, as was previously reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The first nationwide survey of laparoscopic bariatric surgery in Japan clearly showed the current status and outcomes of this group of procedures. The Japanese results appear to be comparable to similarly undertaken surveys in Europe and the USA.
authors: Department of Surgery I, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan. ohta@med.oita-u.ac.jp
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ohta
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Kitano
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Kasama
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Kawamura
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Inamine
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Wakabayashi
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Tani
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Kuwano
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Doki
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Atomi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Kitajima
mesh_terms: D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss