[Insulin or surgery? : the perspective of a diabetologist]

Obesity significantly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by a factor of up to 9. Medical treatment of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle and pharmacological interventions frequently fails to prevent the progress of the disease and the manifestation of diabetes complications. In recent years bariatric metabolic surgery has emerged as an effective treatment for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Compared to medical treatment alone, metabolic surgery has been shown to be more effective in reducing mortality, improving hyperglycemia, hypertension and dyslipidemia in randomized clinical trials among patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, surgery also has the risk for acute perioperative complications, long-term micronutrient deficiencies and psychological problems. Weighing these risks against the benefits of significant weight loss and improved glycemic control, metabolic surgery seems to be a promising treatment option for obesity-associated type 2 diabetes. However, current guidelines and treatment algorithms for the treatment of type 2 diabetes either ignore or underestimate the potential of metabolic surgery. In my opinion, metabolic surgery should be considered earlier in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity and no longer be considered as the last therapeutic option for patients with obesity-associated type 2 diabetes.