Bariatric surgery: current concepts and future directions

The increasing use of bariatric procedures in the treatment of morbidly obese patients means that aesthetic plastic surgeons can expect to care for more and more patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. It is important for aesthetic surgeons to understand the procedures, outcomes, and possible complications to recognize the signs and symptoms of any potential problems. Candidates for bariatric surgery must have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40 kg/m(2) or a BMI of 35 kg/m(2) with at least one comorbidity, plus demonstrated failure of nonsurgical means of weight control to control weight and no significant psychiatric disorders. Surgical procedures can be categorized as restrictive or malabsorptive and include adjustable gastric band, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and biliopancreatic diversion with or without duodenal switch. There are no definitive criteria for choosing any single procedure, although in general restrictive procedures may be more appropriate for those patients with lower BMIs and malabsorptive procedures for those with higher BMIs. Results of bariatric surgery are impressive and include not only significant and sustained weight loss but also improvement or resolution of major comorbid conditions. Significant complications include anastomotic leak, marginal ulceration, and internal herniation, as well as wound infection, incisional hernia, hemorrhage, deep venous thrombosis, and pulmonary embolus. Innovative procedures now under study include gastrointestinal neuromodulation, sleeve gastrectomy, intragastric balloons, intraluminal sleeves, and other endoscopic procedures.