Obesity surgery in a rural setting
Andrew J Barclay1, Steven R Clifforth, Olivia Warne
1General Surgery, Hamilton Base Hospital, Hamilton, Australia. alstor@yahoo.com
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.
