[BARIATRICS IN GERIATRICS - IS AGE AN OBSTACLE FOR BARIATRIC SURGERY?]

To present the results of bariatric surgery performed in the elderly population at the Wolfson Medical Center.

The study population consisted of all elderly patients (aged 65 years and older) who had undergone bariatric surgery between 2009 and 2016. Data was collected from the medical records and by a phone questionnaire. The percentage of excess BMI lost (%EBMIL) was the percentage of BMI lost after the surgery, out of the target BMI of 27 kg/m2. Improvement of obesity related co-morbidities was defined as the decrease in the number of medications and/or dosage, or remission.

Forty eight patients aged 65 years or older underwent bariatric surgery during the study acquisition period (mean age 67.9±2.8 years, 60% females). The types of surgery performed were: laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG, 79%), mini gastric bypass, (MGB, 17%), and Roux and Y gastric bypass (RYGB, 4%). The weight decreased significantly (average BMI units lost was 9.4±5.6 units, p<0.001), and the mean EBWL% was 66.8±32.5%. The surgery was also very effective in improving co-morbidities: DM-65.2%, HTN-54.3%, hyperlipidemia-40%. After a follow-up period longer than 4.2 years the failure rate (EBWL<50%) was 53.3%, however, these patients still presented a lower postoperative weight. All the patients who failed underwent LSG.

Bariatric surgery is very effective in terms of long term weight loss in the geriatric patient.