Adolescent obesity has been steadily increasing over the developed world for the past several decades. In Israel 27-30% of adolescents ages 10-14 years are overweight and about 10-13% are obese. The prevalence of morbid obesity is also increasing. This is part of the reason why bariatric surgery in adolescents is gaining popularity, also in Israel. The main surgical technique that is done on adolescents in Israel is a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
The aim of the study was to describe the clinical and laboratory outcomes of adolescent patients one year after they underwent sleeve gastrectomy.
Anthropometric clinical and laboratory data were obtained from all patients age 13-19 years old that had bariatric surgery between Jan 2010 and March 2015 in Edmond and Lily SafraChildren’s hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Israel.
Results:
The study population comprised of 32 adolescents (M=18/F=14).
Their mean±SD age at surgery was 16.5±1.36 years (range 13.7-18.6).
Mean follow up after the surgery was 13.7±7.6 (range 3-36) months.
After one year follow-up BMI decreased from 46.85 kg/m2to 32.4 kg/m2.
Weight loss was more significant in males (p=0.0009) and with older age, above 17 year (p=0.0415)
Patients with HOMA-IR >4 before the surgery reduced less weight (p=0.0049).
During follow-up most obesity related comorbidities have resolved.
Nevertheless there were severe complications that developed after the surgery including readmission (20%), symptomatic cholelithiasis requiring laparoscopic cholecystectomy (16%), nonspecific eating disorders, paralysis secondary to severe vitamin B1 deficiency. Three of our patients were re-scheduled for bariatric re-operation
