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Published on: September 22, 2023
Systematic review of definitions of failure in revisional bariatric surgery
Jake P Mann1, Adam D Jakes, Jeremy D Hayden
1Medical Obesity Clinic, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK, jakemann@doctors.org.uk.
Background:
There are no agreed definitions as to what constitutes a 'failure' of the primary bariatric procedure in relation to weight loss.
Methods:
The MEDLINE database for primary research articles was searched using obesity [title] or bariatric [title] and revision [title] or revisional [title].
Results:
The MEDLINE search retrieved 174 studies. After duplicates and exclusions were removed, 60 articles underwent analysis. Fifty-one studies included inadequate weight loss or weight regain as an indication for revision: 31/51 (61 %) gave no definition of failure, 7/20 quoted <50 % of excess weight loss at 18 months and 6/20 used <25 % excess weight loss.
Conclusions:
The majority of published studies do not define failure of bariatric surgery, and <50 % excess weight loss at 18 months was the most frequent definition identified.

