Impact of age on postoperative outcomes in bariatric surgery

Abstract

Background: Age is often related to the increase of perioperative complications and reoperation rates. The authors aimed to determine the influence of age on outcomes of most commonly performed bariatric procedures.

Methods: The retrospective study included patients qualified for primary Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG) or Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (LRYGB) in two academic hospitals. Patients were divided into two groups: ≥50 (21.2–26.9%) and <50 (57.6–73.1%) years old. Endpoints assessed the influence of patients’ age on the perioperative and the one-year postoperative period.

Results: Operative time was longer in the ≥50-year-old group, but only for LRYGB. There were no differences in the intraoperative adverse events, postoperative morbidity, reoperation and readmission rates between the groups. The risk of port site hernia was increased (OR: 4.23, CI: 1.49–12.06) in the ≥50-year-old group. The mean % of total weight loss 12 months after the bariatric procedure was comparable, but % of excess weight loss and % of excess body mass index loss were lower in the ≥50-year-old group (p = .033 and .032).

Conclusions: Bariatric surgery is safe and feasible in patients over 50 years old. The weight loss effect can be worse among patients over 50 years old; nevertheless, the treatment should be considered as effective.

Keywords:

• Bariatric surgery
• sleeve gastrectomy
• gastric bypass
• age
• postoperative outcomes
• postoperative morbidity

Acknowledgements

This research did not receive any specific grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Disclosure statement

Piotr Major, Michał Wysocki, Michał Janik, Tomasz Stefura, Maciej Walędziak, Michał Pędziwiatr, Piotr Kowalewski, Krzysztof Paśnik and Andrzej Budzyński declare that they have no conflict of interest.