Trends (2017-2022) in adolescent metabolic and bariatric surgery

Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (MBS) is often difficult to access for the adolescent population. Eligibility criteria have been recently updated to attempt to remove barriers in accessing this care.

Analyze recent trends in adolescent MBS in the context of these recent policy changes.

Member programs of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP).

Adolescents age 10-17 who underwent MBS from 2017 to 2022 were identified. Demographic trends and surgical details were analyzed through standard statistical comparison methods, linear regression, and multivariate logistic regression.

From 2017-2022, 2229 adolescent patients underwent MBS. These approximately 372 cases per year represent about 15%-20% of the total estimated annual cases in the US. Of these, 69% were female, 59% were white, and mean age was 16.1 years. There were no significant differences in age and sex distributions by year. Body mass index (BMI) at surgery did not vary with age. Fourteen and 15 year olds had the highest rates of diabetes (20% and 21% versus 16% for the overall cohort), whereas sleep apnea was more common in 13-year-old patients (36% versus 22%). Females had lower BMI at surgery (46 versus 49) and higher rates of robotic-assisted surgery (16% versus 11%). Case volume decreased with COVID and rapidly increased thereafter. Sleeve gastrectomy increased in relative prevalence compared to bypass, and robotic-assisted cases are increasing twice as fast as laparoscopic procedures. The overall complication rate was 2.9%, with dehydration being most common. Readmission, reoperation, and reintervention did not vary by year.

Despite recent efforts to expand care to younger patients, the majority of pediatric MBS is performed for white, female patients over age 16. Cases have returned to prepandemic levels, with robotic-assisted cases increasing. Complication rates and reoperation rates remain low.