Objective
To evaluate long-term outcome of gastric restrictive surgery in morbidly obese patients aged 55 years and older.
Design
Retrospective review with 3- to 13-year postoperative follow-up. Average follow-up 6 years.
Setting
Private surgical practice with bariatric surgery specialty.
Study Participants
Eighty-eight morbidly obese patients, 73 women and 15 men, aged 55 years and older.
Intervention
Between 1977 and 1989, 77 patients had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, four had vertical banded gastroplasty, and seven had silicone ring vertical gastroplasty.
Main Outcome Measures
Weight loss, change in incidence of comorbidity, and reduction in medication use.
Results
Patients had an average of 57% excess body weight loss, lost 31 kg, and decreased their body mass index by 12 kg/m2. There was a 20% to 48% reduction in the number of patients requiring medication for obesityrelated disorders (eg, diabetes mellitus and hypertension). Body mass index of less than 30 kg/m2 was achieved and maintained by 42% of patients.
Conclusion
This form of therapy is appropriate for selected patients in the older age groups.
(Arch Surg. 1993;128:1153-1157)
