Bariatric Surgery without Regret: A Prospective Analysis of Patient Satisfaction, Weight Loss, and Quality of Life...

Bariatric surgery is a well-established treatment for severe obesity, leading to sustained weight loss, remission of associated medical problems, and improved quality of life (QoL). However, some patients may experience dissatisfaction or regret after surgery. Understanding the relationship between weight loss, QoL, and patient-reported regret is essential for improve care. This study aimed to evaluate decision regret following bariatric surgery and to explore its association with weight loss outcomes and quality of life.

A prospective cohort study was conducted among patients who underwent bariatric surgery between 2021 and 2022 at a single institution. Data were collected at baseline and at three-year follow-up via telephone surveys. The Decision Regret Scale and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) were used to assess regret and QoL, respectively. Multivariable analyses were performed to assess associations between regret, weight loss, and QoL.

Of 198 eligible patients, 92 (46.5%) completed the follow-up survey. A high loss to follow-up represents a key limitation of this study, potentially introducing impact on statistical power and generalizability. The majority (88.8%) reported no regret regarding their surgical decision, and 89.9% indicated they would choose to undergo surgery again. All QoL domains showed significant improvement postoperatively (p < 0.05). However, no significant associations were detected between regret scores and weight loss metrics or QoL improvements. The overall decision regret rate was low, with only 1.1% of patients expressing notable regret.

Most patients reported low levels of regret following bariatric surgery, with no associations detected between regret and either weight loss outcomes or improvements in quality of life. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive preoperative counseling and long-term support to address patient expectations and enhance satisfaction after bariatric surgery.