OVERVIEW OF OPERATIONS FOR MORBID-OBESITY

Massive obesity is prevalent and associated with serious comorbidities . For patients who cannot sustain weight loss, malabsorption and gastr ic reduction operations have been developed. Patients with the former operation require surveillance for protein malnutrition and other sequ elae; those with gastric reduction require a permanent tiny reservoir and stoma. Long-term follow-up surveillance is necessary. Postoperativ ely, 15% to 40% of patients, depending on the operative procedure perf ormed, fail to maintain adequate weight loss. Successful weight loss i n most of these patients makes this challenging surgery worthwhile, wi th alleviation of devastating disease and marked improvement in qualit y of life.