Executive Summary: Collected Papers of the American College of Surgeons Metabolic Surgery Symposium

On August 9-10, 2017, the American College of Surgeons hosted a symposium on metabolic surgery, with 12 follow-on papers published serially in the Bulletin of the College. The current synopsis outlines the varied contents of these papers, often in the original words of their authors, who are cited within their topic sections. Topics covered include the following: history and definition of metabolic surgery, bariatric surgery, international bariatric surgery, mechanisms of metabolic surgery, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome, frontiers of metabolic surgery, institutional collaborations, accreditations and quality initiatives, professional training, the role of the National Institutes of Health, and advocacy. Based on these insights, an enthusiastic affirmation for the future of metabolic surgery is warranted.