Postoperative Follow-up After Bariatric Surgery: Effect on Weight Loss

• Published in: Obesity surgery 2016-04, Vol.26 (4), p.900-903
• Main Authors: Spaniolas, Konstantinos, Kasten, Kevin R., Celio, Adam, Burruss, Matthew B., Pories, Walter J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Bariatric Surgery; Brief Communication; Continuity of Patient Care; Datasets as Topic; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gastrointestinal surgery; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; No-Show Patients; Obesity, Morbid - surgery; Postoperative Period; Studies; Surgery; Treatment Outcome; Weight control; Weight Loss
• ISSN: 0960-8923; 1708-0428
• DOI: 10.1007/s11695-016-2059-6

While adherence to long-term follow-up after bariatric surgery is a mandate for center of excellence certification, the effect of attrition on weight loss is not well understood. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of postoperative follow-up on 12-month weight loss using the Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal Database (BOLD) dataset. Patients with complete follow-up (3, 6, and 12 months) were compared to patients who had one or more prior missed visits. There were 51,081 patients with 12-month follow-up data available. After controlling for baseline characteristics, complete follow-up was independently associated with excess weight loss ≥50 %, and total weight loss ≥30 %. Adherence to postoperative follow-up is independently associated with improved 12-month weight loss after bariatric surgery. Bariatric programs should strive to achieve complete follow-up for all patients.