Bariatric Surgery: A Brief Primer for Primary Care Physicians

Bariatric surgery is on the rise as treatment for the increasing number of obese patients in the US population. As this procedure becomes more common, primary care physicians are assuming increased responsibility not only for preoperative selection and education of bariatric surgery candidates but also for their postoperative care and monitoring-two factors necessary for a successful surgical outcome. This article highlights some issues relevant for primary care physicians and reports an illustrative case of a postoperative complication of bariatric surgery.